A Nightmare in Ghost Town
by Bovine Beauty
Summary: HOTR. After a night of listening to Lucky Jack's ghost stories on Halloween night, Grace becomes frightened of the tales and finds herself in a mysterious eerie world ruled by an evil witch who may see her as a next victim in ritual purposes. Will Grace
1. They're only stories

_All characters, except those not mentioned in the movie are the property of the Walt Disney Company and are used without permission. Even though I do believe that they deserve much better than what they get recently these days._

**Chapter 1: They're only stories**

_**On a dark cold night, on a night just like this, a rider treaded softly through the dark shadowy forest. Nothing but the sound of crickets, owls, and the howling wind echoed through his hearing. The light from the full moon decreased as the blackest clouds distinguished its form. But onward he kept going, despite the unknown from around him. Believing they were nothing more than mere echoes, he ignored them along the path. **_

_**Suddenly from out of nowhere, a haunting figure covered in black rags emerged from the thicket scaring the living daylights out of the rider's horse, sending the rider backwards. Wondering what his horse might have been afraid of the rider called out.**_

**"_Where are you, show yourself!"_**

_**Silence there and nothing more. Furious and fearful at the same time, he pulled out his pistol to await any oncoming attack if the floating figure were to show itself again. But the dead silence seemed to be frightening him more as his hands shook violently still holding the pistol.**_

_**Once more, the figure swooped past him surprisingly. He saw that it was now heading to what appeared to be a cemetery. Despite the fear in his trembling bones, he was curious to know more about who or what this figure might have been as he followed it straight to the cemetery, leaving behind his horse. Perhaps it might have been an outlaw on the loose playing games with his mind. He would be ready for him or her. Among the dead decayed ground, he hid from one tombstone to the next to avoid detection by the figure. What was more frightening was the fact that this figure didn't seem to have any feet touching the ground as it kept moving. With the gusty howling wind blowing across the cloak of this figure, it finally paused at the tallest hill with the tallest tombstone sticking from the ground.**_

_**Why would it stop there? That was the only question the rider kept asking himself. He moved slowly approaching it, hoping to catch this renegade by surprise. But the more he grew nearer, the faster his heart was pacing. Still, the figure stood there in front of the tombstone floating. Feeling as though this person would not respond anytime soon, the rider walked right up to it and shouted, "I've had enough of whatever game you're pullin' on me. Time for me to be takin' you to town!"**_

_**But the figure still ignored him, staring at the tombstone. Irritated, the rider threw his hands on the cloak of the figure in an attempt to pull him or her himself. Before he could do so, the figure finally turned his way and stared back at him with red eyes. Releasing the cloak, the rider now stood frozen with fear.**_

**"_Who…why are...y…you…s…standing there?" he stuttered as he shook._**

_**After a moment of dead silence, the figure whispered in a haunting tone.**_

**"_This spot is my grave!"_**

* * *

"Alright, I believe everyone here has had enough ghostly tales for tonight." 

It was the night of Halloween, and the animals at the Patch of Heaven farm gathered around a tiny fireplace to listen to Lucky Jack tell them the scariest tales he has ever heard. He had been scaring them (or so he thought) with tales of ghosts, witches, haunted spots, and local superstitions. He even told them the story on The Legend of Sleepy Hollow and of an evil witch named Callie. Callie who could take on any form of man or beast, cast nasty unbreakable spells, sneak her way onto folk's properties to suck out their life-essences or steal their livestock, never to be seen again. Lucky Jack warned that if anyone ever dared to come face to face with someone like her better beware, because Callie is one witch you don't want to mess with.

"Aw, Mrs. C," the middle piglet moaned.

"Now, now," Molly, the female pig gave him a stern look which told him not to object to any command given by an adult.

The younger piglets and chicks along with the other farm animals seemed to be enjoying the tales more rather than being afraid of them.

"Don't tell me you're here to spoil our night of fright, eh Mrs. C," teased Maggie, but Mrs. Calloway ignored her.

Maggie had always taken a liking to scary tales ever since she could remember and believed it was fun to be scared on a night like this; though she was never quite a believer in spooks. Grace, unlike all the other family members had been the most frightened of Jack's tales. All this talk of ghosts and ghouls made her shiver like a rattlesnake. But the story of Callie was the most frightening of all. Not only that, but it seemed to bring back memories of all the events of her worst fears from her earlier days as a calf. Memories she would rather leave behind than remember for the rest of her life. She spoke not a word to anybody throughout the night.

"When I say that's enough, I mean it," Mrs. Calloway spoke in a motherly way.

Being the proper cow she was, Mrs. Calloway only thought of tales like that to be nothing more than mere nonsense. Rubbish to be exact. She was probably right, because if any human being were to ever mention a word of an encounter with a wandering spirit to this day, would likely end up in the nut house or be considered a lunatic. Instead of having to stay around the campfire, she had been doing a little patrolling making sure that everything was safe and secure. She had dropped by moments later to let them know it was getting late already by interruption. Even Lucky Jack agreed that it was time to stop.

"Well folks," he replied grabbing a small bucket of water. "I hope ya'll don't stay up too late, or else Callie will come get you." He let out a low chuckle as he extinguished the tiny flame, then going off to Jeb's barrel parked next to a mountain of cans. Lucky Jack had become Jeb's new roommate companion the day after Slim's arrest.

"Yes, thank you very much Jack," Mrs. Calloway spoke sarcastically, shooing the younger piglets off to their pen. "I'm sure she won't catch any of us wide awake tonight now will she."

**

* * *

**

_Inside the den_

"I'm sensing this feeling that something is watching us from outside."

"Grace, go to sleep," Mrs. Calloway murmured groggily with her eyes still closed. She was in no mood to deal with this sort of nonsense at this time of night. Grace was far too old to believe in such superstition and she should know better.

"But…Callie, what if she…"

"That's only a story now go to sleep."

"Maybe one of us should…"

"Didn't I tell you to hush and go to sleep?" Mrs. Calloway scolded as if she were talking to a youngling.

"…take turns guarding."

"I mean it Grace, go to sleep this instant or else." The sleepy bovine had enough of this stuttering and teeth chattering coming from Grace and knew it was time to get serious. She had to do something to put a stop to it.

"But…"

"Grace!" Mrs. Calloway said sternly, almost to the point of turning and shouting. Even now, Grace realized by that tone of voice that enough was enough and said no more for the night. The proper bovine always had her way of giving orders, especially to the older type. Grace had never tried to argue with her before, even if she wanted to.

"What's all the fuss about?" moaned a tiresome Maggie with her back turned the other way.

"Nothing, just go to sleep."

**

* * *

**

_Later that night_

"I'm not afraid; they're only stories, only stories," the blond heifer repeated silently to herself. She had tried to fall asleep, but feared that if she did, she may never wake up again. No thanks to that witch tale. It was all she needed right now. TAP, TAP, TAP! Looking to her right up above, some dead branches from an old crooked tree tapped against the windowpanes of the den. What was even more frightening was hearing the howling wind blow against the boards. Similar to a cursed werewolf in search of his next victim. This time, the feeling of someone watching grew and grew more often.

"Whatever you are, please go away," Grace muttered silently, pacing around the inside of the den to be aware of any sudden movement or echo. So far, everything was covered in darkness and nothing to be heard but the breeze of the autumn wind. Although there was no sign of danger inside or out, the tales had seemed to cause the young heifer's mind to play tricks on her.

"I'm just going to go to sleep and pretend you're not here," she whispered to the darkness from within. Taking a deep breath, she rested her head on the soft yellow hay, and then drifted off to a moment of sleep.

"_Grace!" _

Grace, with her eyes wide open lifted her head up at what she thought sounded like someone or something calling out her name. Believing it was her imagination again, she lowered herself back down to sleep.

"_Grace!"_

That voice again! She couldn't have imagined it this time. Still lying down, her eyes paced back and forth. There was no one inside. At this rate, she could feel her blood run cold with fear and her heart beat faster.

"_GRRRAAACCCCCEEE!" _The voice hissed in a snake-like tone. Jumping up in fright, Grace dragged herself over to where Maggie was sleeping.

"Maggie, Maggie wake up. There's something out there," she stammered, trying to shake her awake. But Maggie didn't even moan or budge an inch.

"Maggie please, wake up!" still, she didn't move. Giving up, Grace moved over to Mrs. Calloway.

"Mrs. C, Mrs. C wake up," but not even Mrs. Calloway budged an inch. She just laid there as if she were a stone statue. Already feeling her anxiety level rise up, Grace shook each of them as violently as she could, hoping it would be enough to awaken them.

"Wake up, there is a voice outside the farm!" she cried hysterically. Still, they laid there without moving or moaning. In this situation, it seemed that Grace would've had to handle this on her own. She could do this, couldn't she? After all she did help save their home and stood up to that notorious bandit queen who held her captive in Texas. (Author's note: That's another story).

"Listen, whoever or whatever you are, you better go away or else you'll be tasting your own medicine!" trying to act brave, she walked slowly step by step to the gates of the den.

"_Looooooookk outssside!"_ the voiced hissed once more. Grace gulped then raised her front right hoof to push the door open, but not before it started shaking intensely. Turning her head back to gaze at Maggie and Mrs. Calloway still in the death-like sleep, she took a deep breath and pushed the doors wide open. But to her surprise, she looked to find not the Patch of Heaven farm, but a dusky orange-clouded sky and a dry soiled pumpkin patch.

_Disclaimer: The Legend of Sleepy Hollow is a tale written in 1848 and copyrighted to Washington Irving. I own nothing of that story._


	2. Pumpkin Hollow and the farmhouse

**Chapter 2: Pumpkin Hollow and the farmhouse**

"Wha…what…where am I?" she stuttered feverishly taking one step back.

"_Follow my voice through the pumpkin field!" _

Grace did not like how the voice had been speaking to her one bit. The tone felt slithering and poison. Then again, part of her had wanted to know how the den winded up here, as if by magic. No, it couldn't be. There is no such thing. Ahead of her, the pumpkin patch spread all around her location like a never ending smoldering desert. Building up her courage, she walked through the trail following the voice as it kept calling her name eerily.

The pumpkins were neat and shiny with pure orange. Laying there beneath the soft soiled dirt, the heifer kept on going without looking back. She was now 30ft away from the den with the other two girls still in a deep slumber. As she continued walking down the dirt path, she thought she sensed a strange movement from behind her and turned around to look.

So far, there was nothing. Nothing but a medium sized pumpkin with green vines sticking out of it, lying on the dirt. Wasn't it there before? Having no time to question her mind, she continued onward.

This time something had snapped at her hind legs. Grace spun around again to see the same pumpkin closer to her. This was now becoming far too weird. She stepped backwards with her eyes locked onto the pumpkin. It didn't seem to be moving anytime soon. Still, Grace did not dare to look away for even a moment too soon. Then unexpectedly, she felt something else grab and pull her tail.

Turning her head around, Grace was horrified to find an orange reddish pumpkin with two evil eyes, a nose, and a fanged grin carved into it. She tried to scream, but her voice became locked in her throat as the other pumpkin whom she suspected of following her, had wrapped its vines around her front legs together like snakes.

"Hey, let go of me!" she cried. But the pumpkin ignored her pleas.

It too, had the expression of an evil smirk carved inside and out. Up till now, Grace was completely petrified as a few more pumpkins strolled up to her then started to bind her body with their vines.

"Help, somebody help me!" she cried out struggling in the vines that kept her bounded. Grace could feel their grip tighten up as her bones were on the verge of breaking up at any moment. Her chest got heavy and she couldn't breathe well. A mixture of snickering and taunting filled the air.

"_Sing!"_ The mysterious eerie voice called out breaking the commotion. The pumpkins stopped what they were doing and listened confusingly. A cool rush of air breezed past her.

"Sing? Me? Why?" Grace questioned the voice while a vine had been coiling its way up to her mouth.

"_Just do it!"_ The voice commanded.

"Um…ugh…she'll be…" Grace sunk her teeth into the vine before it had a chance to warp around her mouth. The pumpkin screeched in pain like a bird caught in a trap, uncoiling her.

"…phew…comin' round the mountain when she comes," she continued nervously. The other pumpkins with their vines still binding her had changed their expressions from satisfaction to a disgusted frown. Not only that, but Grace could feel their grip loosen up off her body and unwrapping her legs.

"_Keep singing!" _

"She'll be comin' round the mountain when she comes," the more Grace sang, the more the binds slipped off. Finally the pumpkins could stand no more as they uncoiled her completely, scampering off into the distance with their vines covering their ears (if they had any).

"What just happened?" a confused Grace questioned once more, watching the pumpkins disappear.

"_As long as you sing in this patch, they won't come near you."_

It seemed rather fiendishly complicated for Grace to be in the mood for singing while she was terrified of what happened recently. Following the voices advice, she treaded onward once more singing the same song she sang to the demonic pumpkins. They didn't seem to take a liking to her singing one bit. The thought of that formed a sullen frown across her face. She still believed in her own opinion that no other singing in the world can ever compare to hers.

"Well I don't care what they think of me," she muttered. If her singing would keep them away from her, then that's what she'll do until she's out of here.

**

* * *

**

_At an old farmhouse_

"_Sing no more, now that you are out of Pumpkin Hollow!"_ The voice informed Grace after twenty minutes of walking. Spinning around, Grace saw a billboard sign hanging on a wooden fence which read:

_**Pumpkin Hollow: Tread softly and beware of wandering pumpkins. If one manages to encounter one or two, any kind of singing will drive them back to where they came from.**_

That's the strangest odd sort of advice she ever come across. Still, she was relieved for now to be out of their territory. But now where was she?

Ahead of her was what appeared to be an old dampened two-story farm house and a busted windmill? If anybody still lived there, then maybe it was best to leave it be. She had enough trouble with the deformed walking pumpkins.

"I know I shouldn't go barging in on other folk's properties. Even if it does look abandoned. Besides, it's not like I would be needing their help," she replied, stepping foot over a few stinking piles of raw hay. The foul stench burned her nostrils from too much inhaling, but she also could feel it swell inside her body. The old house was surrounded by a garden of spiky weeds, and wheat fields being blown by yet another cool rush of air.

"Then again," she stopped halfway to turn her attention back to the farmhouse. "Maybe he or she can help give me directions. It's worth a try." However, there were a few unseen beady eyes staring at her from somewhere, watching her jump over the fence to knock on the doors.

"Caw, Caw!" a flock of black crows had watched the lost frightened bovine from the scarecrow fields. Seeing her as another trespasser they believed to be their property, they flew up and encircled high above where Grace had walked past the windmill. Before she could knock, Grace looked up in alarm and saw them swoop down to attack her. She managed to dodge their first attack, but soon they dove at her head then pecked at her hide.

"Stop it, leave me alone! What's wrong with you!" she cried angrily, trying to shoo them off. But the crows would not stop. Surprisingly, Grace managed to turn the knob with her hoof and bolt right on in before the crows had the chance to go for her face. She could still hear their flapping from the outside attempting to break in. Finally, the crows gave up then flew off in search of more trespassers to annoy.

Grace sunk to the floor breathing a sigh of relief. So far in this bizarre world, she had been brutally attacked by pumpkins, and now crows. Well she once learned from Mrs. Calloway that crows were sensitive territorial birds; so it may have been positive that this old farm could be their property. These ones were far worse than the crows who taunted her with crude remarks from when she was still a calf. Inside the house, there were loose floorboards, dusted old furniture, wavering cobwebs hanging from the ceiling, and a messy stained kitchen infested with spiders, roaches, ants, and lizards crawling over the dirty dishes on the table and sink. Grace rolled her tongue out in disgust at the horrible sight of it.

"Ugh, what a filthy mess! Glad I don't live here."

Grace then felt another presence in the house when her ears perked up at the sound of a human humming from upstairs. Her disgusted expression changed into a weak smile. Well it may turn out that somebody lives here after all. Forgetting about the condition of the filthy kitchen, she decided to go up the stairs and investigate to where it would lead her. The aging stairs creaked from every step she took.

Upstairs, Grace found herself in the thick of two hallways. From her left to her right, they were both alike. The left side had been decorated with pictures hanging on the walls, a fine wooden chair seated next to a small round table with a pipe placed on top. The right side had been decorated the same way as the other. Except that Grace could feel the humming tune growing louder from there. She walked slowly with caution as she approached the door at the end. Placing her left ear on the wooden door, the hoarse humming sounded something similar to an elderly man.

"Here," she whispered, turning the knob as slowly as possible. The opening of the door caused a small creak which would have been capable of making any settler jump in shock. But still the homeowner sat rocking back and forth humming.

"Umm e…excuse me," was all Grace could mumble as she stood at the doorway. The homeowner stopped humming, but still continued rocking.

"Aw, a visitor eh?" said the old man in that horrid old voice. Something about him made Grace shudder and cringed. She had at least expected him to shout angrily about her sudden entering.

"Well um…actually I was wondering if you could…"

"…help ye find yer way outta here?" the old man interrupted finishing her sentence.

"Yes, b…but how did you know? Grace gave a puzzled look.

"Cause every wanderin' outsider from outta this world just goes on invitin' themselves in on other folk's homes without even knockin'," he spoke sourly in a southern accent.

"I'm very sorry," Grace could feel her face blush with embarrassment. "But there were these crows bothering me and I just didn't know where to go."

"Well sorry don't cut it stranger," he replied. "Still, I'm mighty too old t' be holdin' a grudge so I'll let ye off the hook this time." He just spoke while still rocking in his chair as if nobody were in with him. Once again, Grace was puzzled. What was this old man on to anyway?

"How'd ye like to stay for dinner wit' me?" the mysterious man stopped rocking in his chair and sat up to walk to a small square table in the left corner of the dark room. "I don't know when's the last time I had a guest drop in."

Grace still stood by the doorway frozen stiff. Whoever heard of an elderly person becoming grouchy in the first place then suddenly turns into Mr. Nice Guy inviting you to dinner on your first meeting? This didn't seem too normal. But what harm would an old man like him do?

"Um, actually I…I think I better…" Grace took one step back from the doorway.

"Ah now what's yer hurry?" His tone became low and crafty as he looked to be carrying up a tray with something on it. Yet the darkness of the room prevented her eyes from viewing both the man and what was on the plate.

"Oops, better snap the lights on," setting the plate back on the table, he clapped his hands in midair in which two candles lit up like lighters. The young heifer took another step back after witnessing what he had done. He just made those candles burn without having to use a match. Two chairs sat at the opposite end. What if she really did get into this world by magic?

"As I was sayin'," he began, picking the tray back up. "Tonight's special will be…" he circulated to reveal his true image and the side dish. The old man was a grotesque sight to be seen. He had greenish wrinkly skin, cracked fungal fingernails, and a skeletal face manifesting though his skin. He had no nose and his eyes were a sickly yellowish sight. On his decayed body, he wore tattered torn blu overalls. He was a zombie! But that wasn't the only thing.

"…rattlesnake stew!" a sand-colored rattlesnake slithered in a tin silver bowl of sickly green gooey slime causing the heifer's stomach to twist and burn with nausea. Already she was starting to feel sick. With her eyes closing tightly shut and her hoof over her mouth, she didn't notice the rattlesnake slither halfway out of the bowl to rise up next to her face. Opening one eye, she saw its black beady eyes locked onto her and opened its mouth wide showing long sharp fangs as it let out a hiss.

"AAAAAWWWWW!" Grace released a high scream as she zoomed down the hallway to the stairs and out the door. In less than a minute, she was back on the trail outside the farmhouse, still darting as fast as she could. Soon the zombie-like farmer stood at his front door holding the silver tray. He watched as Grace still sped into the distance like a bullet leaving a trail of dust clouds. At this point, he seemed rather puzzled.

"What, I don't get it. I thought everybody loved my special recipe." He scooped the end of the snake up out of the bowl and sighed.

"Oh well, guess I'll hafta eat it myself," He turned back inside and closed the door behind him.

**_Author's note:_** _About those last two words on my story summary, I meant to write: Will Grace ever escape from the wicked place or is it all just a dream? Just in case readers were wondering what it meant. I forgot to type them, so sorry about that._


	3. The fortune teller

**Chapter 3: The fortune teller**

_In the dark woods_

Grace had been running like crazy on the trail for almost an hour. She couldn't help it though. What she saw was truly terrifying. At last she was able to slow down and skid to a stop after she felt low on breath. Deep in her chest, her heart beat faster than a normal rate which made her collapse on the ground in an instant. Dragging herself over to a thick thorny bush, she coughed up that intense nauseated feeling from which still swelled inside her stomach. Being able to do so had made her recover from the terrible feelings, but now she wished for some fresh cold water to wash away the rancid taste.

"I…need some…water," she panted heavily while still near the bush. This situation was too much for her to handle on her own. Now she wondered if leaving Maggie and Mrs. Calloway behind at Pumpkin Hollow was maybe not a bright idea. What if the pumpkins might have gotten to them? She didn't want to think about what would happen if that were true. Well there was no turning back now at this point and who knows how far she came from running at a fast pace; might as well take a rest. Because she was so exhausted and worn out, she didn't notice or hear anyone approaching her.

**

* * *

**

_Inside a tent_

Grace opened her eyes slightly and raised her head a bit. She had not yet regained her vision because of her exhaustion. She did however feel herself lying on something soft and silky.

"Eh, my throat hurts," she moaned before closing her eyes again. A mysterious shadow walked past her sleeping position a moment later. The figure carried a crystal like vial in her left hand filled with an unknown substance. She treaded slowly next to Grace and gently opened her mouth to drop the substance onto her pink tongue. Since most cows were known to be heavy sleepers, she could not feel anything touch her.

"That should cure her illness," the figure placed the file in a cabinet to go sit back on her small round table, in which a crystal ball was placed in the center.

Several hours had passed before Grace opened her eyes again. She could no longer feel nausea or that rancid taste in her mouth. Moving her head to take a look at her surroundings, she found herself on top of colorful silken and cotton pillows of different shapes and sizes. Then she saw a human sitting close to a small table flipping a deck of cards. Could this human have brought her in here? She didn't want to wait and find out what would happen next if she didn't leave right away. She was preparing to rise up until her back left hoof slipped on one of the smaller pillows.

"Oof!" she yelped as she slipped back on the pile. The figure stopped flipping the cards to notice that the bovine had already awakened.

"Awake young one?" The figure turned out to be a thin woman with long curly black hair, green eyes, and a slender nose, a mark under her right eye, tanned skin, and red lips. She wore a white cotton blouse, a long flowing olive dress, gold earrings, black slippers, and a wooly Tuscan red shawl over her shoulders. She even wore a few brass rings on her fingers.

"You're not going to eat me are you?" Grace asked worriedly.

"Eat you; now why would I want to do that? I don't eat meat. It's bad for my health and it taste raw." She joked, chuckling lightly. Grace could only stare at her blankly.

"My name is Madame Minerva. But you can just call me Minerva if you wish. I am a fortune teller. I tell fortunes, read palms, and have the ability to sense upcoming danger."

"Huh?" the bovine was confused but still suspicious of this stranger.

"I brought you into my tent after hearing someone becoming sick near the bushes. Luckily I had my antidote to cure all symptoms of serious illnesses. Right now, I'm inventing another for serious injuries," She pointed her finger to a set of glass tubes, bottles, and vials.

"But how…?"

"I just added one drop of the antidote in your mouth while you were still resting and now you're free to go if you wish."

Grace smiled graciously. But Minerva had something more to say as Grace was halfway out the entrance of the tent.

"However…," Grace froze in her spot.

"…there is something else I should warn you about before you continue on your journey."

"Warn me about what?"

"Please, come closer."

Grace turned off from the entrance and did as she was requested.

"I sense you're wondering how you were cast upon this world, am I right?" Grace nodded her head. "If you haven't already known, I was the mysterious voice who called your name out in the pumpkin field. You're very lucky to be alive and well. Although I'm afraid your friends have been bewitched by the sleep spell."

"What does bewitched mean?"

"It is the ability to cast a spell over anything by whatever magic anyone can possess." Minerva's answer to her concerned question made a chill run down the young heifer's spine, because it reminded her of the day when her two friends had fallen under Alameda Slim's hypnotic yodeling spell and how she couldn't snap them out of it at first. But she managed to save them through sheer dumb luck. No wonder she couldn't wake them in the first place.

"But how did I end up in this place?"

"Witchcraft I presume," Minerva answered, taking her hands off and then gazing at her crystal ball. "There is a dangerous witch in our world whom you should avoid encountering. Deep within her lair, she conjures up a spell to bring forth mortals from other realms whether human or animal. Those who are filled with the deepest fears in their hearts soon become her pawns the moment she lays eyes on them." The crystal ball showed a shadowy image of a figure with red glowing eyes cackling atop a mountaintop. Grace bent over the crystal ball and stared, stared as hard as she could. It didn't seem to be standing on twos but rather on fours. Could this be the witch Minerva was warning her about?

"Who is she?" Grace asked. But now Minerva was shaking like a volcano ready to erupt at anytime. She had gone rigid in her chair; with her eyes rolling and her mouth crooked. Then she spoke in a harsh tone:

_Tonight…you will be hunted down by her evil minions…and become a prisoner in her lair. She lies there alone…waiting for you to appear. Do not allow her to take control over you…"_

Her head fell forward to her chest. Grace stood there, staring at her fearfully. Quite suddenly, Minerva's head snapped up once again.

"Don't let the witch take control over you!" she blurted out slapping her thin hands on the shuddering bovines cheeks. "She feeds off of fear in those who give in to her."

"What do I do?" Grace hadn't felt this panicked since the day she and her other two companions had experienced a big fright from those loud bangs in Chugwater town.

"I can only help by giving you a special light crystal. Her powers are too great for me to handle. Now where is that blasted thing? I know I put it in here somewhere." She murmured rummaging through her cabinet.

"Aha, here it is!" Minerva pulled out a sapphire crystalline hanging from a soft leather string. "This will help spark up the deepest darkest areas wherever you wind up at. So whatever happens, don't lose it, or you'll never find your way out." The fortune teller swung the necklace around the heifer's neck. To Grace, it was the most exquisite mineral she had ever set eyes upon. But even though she would be having no trouble finding her way in the darkness, she still wondered about the fate of her two friends.

"What about my friends?"

"There is nothing neither I nor you can do to awaken them. Only the witch who cast the spell in the first place can undo it. She lives in the tallest mansion over the silent ghost town. A town forgotten by time," Minerva waved a hand over the crystal ball to reveal the image of the mansions shadow towering over the boomtown. Hardly anybody or anything seemed to be strolling down the dusty streets of this forbidden place.

But Grace was not about to let this situation get the best of her, even if it meant coming into a close encounter with that witch who started all this. If she and her friends can handle the meanest outlaws, then why not take on a coven of witches? But her biggest challenge would have to be going through it alone while using her inner strength to fight the fear growing inside of her. She gazed up at Minerva with a serious expression.

"I'm going to that old mansion to have a talk with this witch," she replied, making Minerva gasp at her foolish decision. "I'll ask her to release Maggie and Mrs. Calloway and send us back home."

"Young one, haven't you wondered what you might be up against? This isn't just any ordinary witch; she rules this world with malice, tyranny, and power! Many have tried to reason with her, but she never gives in to a bargain."

"What is her name?"

"We do not speak of her name in public. But since there is only the two of us, I'll let you in on a little secret." She whispered in the heifer's ear.

"Beware of Callie."

"Callie!" Grace gasped at the mention of that name causing her to utter a little scream. Her fear level began arising in her body. Not the witch whom Lucky Jack had mentioned in the campfire tales. It can't be true.

"Do not let fear overtake you!" Minerva shouted enough to snap Grace out of her shivering state. Grace was now silent and still. This was the witch who she would have to negotiate with.

"Like I said, she'll feed off of your own fear until you are left paralyzed. But if you still intend to meet with her, then I'm afraid I cannot force you to change your mind. Your will may be stronger than I thought it would."

"How do I get there?" Grace had a strong will indeed as Minerva predicted. She wasn't about to give up too soon, despite her grown fear of the witch.

"You must travel alone through the dark forest and into the forbidden mine. Stay on the track and NEVER…ever tread through the trees. Most of them are harmless and quiet, but…" Grace stepped back as Minerva leaned forward from the other side of the table. "…there are those who have ears, listening for trespassers in their path. What becomes of them, I do not dare to say, nor should you intend to find out." Minerva went back rummaging in her cabinet and pulled out a rolled up paper sheet.

"Can you read young one?" she asked wisely before handing her the paper.

"A little, I think," Grace answered briefly.

"Then perhaps this map shall guide you on your way," Minerva unrolled the paper which revealed a few lists and pictures of areas. The mansion of the witch was located on the top left beside a marked area labeled _Shadow Cemetery_. Grace gulped when she read that dreadful name. It certainly wasn't her idea of traveling alone in a dark unknown territory. She looked up at Minerva.

"You're not coming with me?" she asked. Minerva shook her head.

"I dare not leave my tent unprotected. It is my duty to stay here and help guide newcomers who enter this world, just like I helped you." Minerva walked with Grace to the entrance. The orange silhouettes above the sky were becoming darker by the minute.

"Dusk is coming. And any moment the restless spirits will be prowling upon the earth, " the fortune teller gazed upward at the darkening cloudy sky.

"Um…uh thank you for helping me," was all Grace could say to her as she prepared to make her way through the dark forest. No matter how eerie this world may seem, she just couldn't sit still and do nothing while her friends were still bewitched back out in the midst of the pumpkin field.

"Remember, stay on the track!" Minerva called out to her a moment before Grace used her tail to wave a sign of thanks. Unbeknownst to Grace however, she failed to witness the wicked smile that crossed the fortune tellers red lips.


	4. Deadwood Forest

**Chapter 4: Journey through the dark forest**

_Deadwood Forest_

"Hmm, let's see…I'm guessing I should be in Deadwood Forest right now," Grace studied the map while treading on the straight narrow path. She wanted to make sure she had been staying and following the correct route. Luckily though, she could still see her footprints she left behind from walking, which meant there was no need to turn back there. Straight ahead is her next destination. However, it wasn't until an hour later that she slowly approached a fork in the road with a sign in the center. There were letters written but in a different sort of language which Grace had never heard of. It was so confusing that the young heifer's mind seemed to be traveling in different directions.

"Now which way do I go?" Grace moaned. Both paths looked the same. How was she to go straight if there are two paths standing before her? What if this was all a trick set up by Minerva?

"Don't even think about that!" she scolded herself. "How could she trick me when all she did was help?" Part of that question seemed true to her. Maybe Minerva was so caught up in trying to explain the unknown dangers to her that she just forgot to mention about the forked road. Well everybody makes mistakes sometimes. Maybe it was possible for her to still get to the witch's mansion no matter which route to choose.

"I don't see the path on the map anywhere," she held the map tightly with her tail. "Oh well, we'll see what happens if I go left." Grace treaded on the left path, into the forest.

* * *

In the dead hush of night, she thought she heard the tense howling of a wolf or a coyote from miles away. Her throat felt watery from nerves for she knew that those kinds of animals could possibly smell her from where they were. Let's hope they don't find her in time. 

The night grew darker and darker every minute; the stars in the sky evaporated deeper one by one into the black orange clouds. The light crystal from the heifer's neck still brightened in the darkness. She had never felt so lonely and dismal from having to travel alone, especially in this eerie world. All the campfire tales that she heard from Lucky Jack now came crowding deeper in her mind. The road had grown narrower as the black trees made shadows form on the ground.

A thick gray mist settled over her. The icy breeze caused her to shiver a bit. A feeling of something watching her had returned as a long shadow skittered among the trees, rustling the leaves. Grace whirled around to check for any sudden movement. So far, nothing happened. But Grace still felt unsure of it, then turned to face the dark trail again. The running of water from a stream ran in the dead silence. It was now too quiet to be exact. The heifer's fears had increased from all of this. Anything could happen anytime; so she had to keep her eyes open. And she still needed to keep her fear level down as possible to focus on her mission.

In the midst of the road stood a tall thick narrow leafless tree, which towered over Grace like an enormous shadow creature. Despite the uneasiness in her, she ignored its appearance and walked past it, hoping it wouldn't be one of those deadlier types Minerva had mentioned. Yet appearances can be deceiving; better to stay alert. Its branches seemed more similar to giant claws ready to grab her. As Grace passed by the fearful tree, she began to sing another one of her favorite folk songs for comfort. A sharp wind whistled through the gnarled branches causing Grace to shiver all over her body from the effects of the sudden cold. But now another rustle sounded in the bushes with a groan. Grace ceased singing and turned around fearfully.

"He…he…hell…o," she stuttered while still shivering. "Who's out there?" There was nothing more than dead silence to answer her call. But this time, Grace had now been certain that there had been something else following her.

"Um, uh…never mind I'll just be on my way," before she knew it, Grace could feel long bony fingers pick her up by the scruff of her neck a few feet off the ground. It was the same creepy tree she had passed a moment ago, only it bore a pair of pale yellow eyes and a long narrow mouth with fangs. It looked mighty hungry.

"Oh no, not again!" she cried, struggling to get herself down. "Put down, put me down! What, what is it; why are you looking at me with those yellow eyes?" The trees mouth slurped with a satisfying hungry appetite for what it held in its bony skeletal fingers. Even Grace knew what he had been thinking about and panicked in its grasp hysterically. "No please! Please don't eat me! You don't know where I've been!" but the tree drew her closer and lowered her to its horrifying fanged mouth. As Grace continued to struggle and kick, the tree released a harsh moaning cry as it dropped her onto the ground with a painful thud. Looking up in confusion, the tree seemed to be holding on to its long wooden nose. Could it be that Grace managed to give it a good kick in the nose from her struggling and not notice it?

"I have to get out of here!" she cried, not wanting to wait for the creature to regain its senses and zoomed off.

**

* * *

**

After a few moments of running, she slowed down to rest for a while. The creatures cry could be heard no more. Within moments of catching her breath, she glared back at the path behind her. So far there was nothing. Not even a deadly tree.

About two feet away from her, a short narrow wooden bridge crossed over a slimy mucky swamp. Beside the bridge laid a sign labeled: **_tread softly as you cross over the deadly swamps of the dead. If one shall fall unto this pit, there will be no hope of escape_.**

Grace drew closer to take a look at the swamp far below. A few logs swam through the slimy revolting currents drifting by. To her, passing this bridge would have to be like watching her step on the highest rocky canyon in the west. Yet it may be the only way out. Taking a deep breath, she crossed it slowly without having to look down into the swamps. But as she approached the center, her heart began to thump madly. Because of her startle ness, the bridge wobbled from her shivering. The same groaning had started again from somewhere behind.

Grace turned her head slowly to hope it wouldn't belong to something vicious. Her hopes had drifted away as a pack of red eyes stared at her cold blooded with long sharp, glistening teeth belonging to a pack of coyotes.


	5. Misty Mine

**Chapter5: Misty Mine**

"RRRRRRRRR…," the beasts snarled at the frightened bovine with their mouths drooling. Grace backed away from them, but the coyotes drew closer every time she did.

"Oh n…n…no!" she muttered, turning and fleeing for her life. Doing so was the smart option as she very well knew that she and her two companions was no match for a pack of fearsome predatory coyotes. Trying to outsmart them was the only chance she might have; but how? One coyote sprang toward her running position. Grace dodged it then turned right. She crashed through the underbrush, ignoring every stick and rock that lashed at her hide. Then she saw more shadows after another. More hungry coyotes had been following her trail. Grace ran left and right, and another left. Behind her she could sense and feel the coyotes snarling, barking, and panting still trying to catch up to her. She couldn't bear to look back at how many pairs of red eyes had been gaining.

That was when something else had caught her eyes. Another bridge; except it was broken in the middle. But still Grace kept heading toward it ignoring the thorny bushes that poked and ripped at her, maybe she could try to jump over it. It was worth a shot.

"I have to try!" she exclaimed hastily. Miraculously, she managed to jump over far enough to hold on for dear life on the edge of the other broken bridge. Grace could still hear the coyotes snarling on the other side as they watched her struggle.

"You can't get me now; so go away!" she cried out to them while pulling herself up. After a moment, the coyotes had made no attempt to jump over the bridge after her and disappeared into the black forest. Grace had succeeded in pulling herself up on the broken bridge heaving a sigh of relief, with her heart pounding furiously like a loud drum. Turning around, she saw something else that took her breath away.

It looked like an entrance to an old mine; similar to Echo Mine. A thick grey fog had settled over it. It was dug deep into a hillside with no grass like a giant tube. Above the entrance, a sign read: _Misty Mine_.

"Hmm, no wonder it's called that intense name," Grace murmured in a sarcastic tone while studying to see if the mine was located anywhere on the map. She had already been in a bad mood from having to deal with too many supernatural disasters on her way. Almost everything she had encountered so far had either wanted to hurt or eat her. Well it was not going to happen again this time. She still had her friends to save. "Perhaps the next thing I'll run from is rats or bats, I suppose; possibly carnivorous." Truth was, that Grace was actually afraid of bats not only because of their appearance but because of those tales which mentioned about them being dark creatures in disguise, preying on the innocent.

"Come on girl, pull yourself together," Grace rubbed the side of her head with her left hoof, feeling a strange sensation run through her body. She still stood before the mine entrance thinking about what other dangers may be lurking deep below. There was no shame in being afraid; everyone's afraid of something. But what would her friends think of her if she gave up too quickly? Well, here goes nothing.

**

* * *

**

_Inside the mine_

There was nothing be heard but the dripping of water to echo through the dead silence. The coolness of the outside air had decreased when Grace walked further away from the entrance. Grace wiped her head with her tail to remove a few bits of sweat. The air had filled an intense smoldering heat causing her to barely breathe while still walking. Her stomach began to knot in fear when she saw how deep and dark the tunnel was becoming. The light crystal was still able to light the path; although it was still hard for her to see if there were any new twists and turns ahead.

"It sure is hot down here," she murmured, still sweating. Her own words echoed in the tunnel walls. Now she had been curious to know if there was anything down in this mine causing the smoldering intense heat. Her curiosity had been answered when she spotted a few thermal springs pouring out of the holes in the walls.

"Oh so that's what it was," Grace chuckled lightly. For a moment, she thought it might have been fire or worse. She began to walk through the area holding her breath, ignoring the unbearable hot temperature. Her face and body became soaked in sweat. Not a moment too soon, she released her breath when the thermal spring area had been passed; but part of the heat still remained from where she stood. But now something more terrifying caught her eyes from above.

There were black bats; and lots of them, hanging upside down wrapped up like cocoons. Grace gulped listening to their horrible aggressive snores echo throughout the cave. The light crystals powers were not enough to shake any of them awake, unless she was to move it closer to their faces. Now she had to make sure to tread softly without making even the tiniest sound. Slowly, steady, don't make a sound. Don't even talk because who knows what kind of senses these creatures may possess. She turned to the left edge slowly careful not to wake a single bat. That was when she spotted what looked to be another tunnel opening. Could it be the way out? There was only one way to find out. Remembering that she was still crawling underneath the bats, she continued to move slowly with caution.

Now everything in the end would have turned out alright if Grace had never felt her nostrils began to twist and tickle from the dusty atmosphere. She had been unable to control it any longer.

"Ah…ah…AHCHOO!" she sneezed so loud; it was like dynamite exploding out of a tunnel wall. Her worst fears had come true when she noticed one bat a few feet above her spread its wings widely staring down at her low position with those horrific red beady eyes and a mouth of tiny sharp fangs. One bat after another had followed the same thing. Soon all of the bats were awake staring down at a trespassing cow in their underground home.

Too scared stiff to move, Grace threw her front hooves over her eyes and cringed tightly on the ground feeling the bats whiz past her with their wings flapping at an extremely fast pace. She let out a few screams as a few of them had either tried to nip at her face or pull on her blond hair. The uproar of their flapping had decreased when Grace could barely sense their nipping any longer. Still cowering on the ground in fear, she slowly slipped her left hoof off her eye to see if they were gone. All that could be viewed was the glowing light from the crystal penetrating the darkness of the cave. Only the dripping of water from somewhere echoed in the dark twisting caverns. Well, she was lucky the bats turned out to be just ordinary nocturnal animals instead of bloodthirsty demons in disguise. Maybe she was a little silly to believe in such nonsense, but still…

"AAAWWW!" Grace let out a scream when another bat whizzed past her out of nowhere. Hopefully that was the last bat she had to worry about; now to find the way out of this mine.

Lifting herself off the ground, she treaded toward the opening tunnel to investigate the surroundings it held. She peered into the gloomy darkness and shuddered as she noticed a few cobwebs waving around. Part of her did not want to venture inside of here, yet so far there had been no other path or tunnel to turn to; only this one. Remembering her mission, she entered the tunnel.

**

* * *

**

_The spider caves_

Not only was the tunnel uncomfortably stuffy and hot, but the cobwebs grew thicker and stickier as she went deeper below. Grace had mixed emotions of confusion, fear, and sadness while she felt things brush against her hide; something a bit more than the webs, but still she walked on and on passing four openings. The breathlessness of the air grew dimmer being replaced by yet another foul decaying stench. A stench even fouler than when Grace stepped foot on that crazy farmer's property which made her nostrils feel as if they were on fire. The poor heifer had been so lost in thought that she didn't even know how long it has been since she entered this dreadful place.

"I wish Maggie and Mrs. Calloway were with me," she panted quietly; fearing it might have been unsafe to shout down here. "This foul air is making me dizzy." Not only did she wish for the company of her friends, but she would rather be back on the farm sniffing bluebonnets out in the field, rather than have to travel in a world unlike no other; especially one you've feared most going to.

But now a new difficulty came to her as the tunnel now became a forked path, making it hard for her to tell which the shorter or longer way was. Like the forest path, this one also had two paths to choose from.

"Oh no, why can't it just be one path?" she said frustratingly kicking a small pebble. Surely one of them must lead to the way out while the other might have lead to a fatal doom. The left tunnel had been covered up in the messiest cobwebs and these horrible enlarged whitened bags of silk. _Cocoons!_ That couldn't possibly be the right way to go.

"Ehh, I went left last time. Now I go right," Grace stammered as she entered the right tunnel. This path contained lesser and lesser cobwebs from high above and the ground grew clearer than before. A small glimpse of hope filled Grace. This must be the way out of here. Why shouldn't it be? "Finally, I'll be out of here in no time. Look out Callie cause here I come," she laughed cheerfully skipping about. But soon her cheeriness was to be interrupted when she had not gone more than a few miles high.

Her fear had returned when the sound of a gurgling, bubbling, venomous hiss startled her from somewhere behind.

"Huh!" she gasped, wheeling around. There was nothing to be seen. Still she stood there waiting for who knows what to appear before her. Not even the light crystal from her neck could reveal the source of the mysterious sound. It was still enough to penetrate the darkness but the hiss remained hidden as Grace could feel it drawing even closer. "Ugh…who…whoever you are…please don't be angry. I was just about to leave right away!" After those unexpected words, Grace turned to flee upward feeling an even greater malice bent upon her, but didn't want to bother to wait and find out what. There she spotted the opening ahead of her; just a few more feet and…

From out of nowhere, a great giant spider jumped down blocking the exit. The eyes were indeed the most monstrous and abominable windowed clustered sight she ever witnessed. Different from the desert spiders this one was. "Oh no, I wouldn't mind having you stay for dinner, my little fly!" It spoke in a thin creaking hissing voice.

Grace, horror stricken backed away slowly gazing at the horrid stare of those baleful eyes. Not a moment too soon, she turned to flee but the spider caught up in front of her again, since she had eight legs and Grace had only four. "I'm not a fly, I'm a cow. And I'm on my way to meet a witch named Callie; so if you just let me go…" Grace was unable to finish when the spiders horrid eyes drew closer making her back away slowly.

"You won't be going anywhere little fly; NOT TONIGHT!" Without warning, the spider shot a bundle of silken web from its abdomen straight at Grace. Grace fell on the floor struggling in the threads that tied her legs, yet they proved too sticky for her to break out of. All she could do was utter a few small screams as the spider began tying her up in the cords until her body became wrapped in a cocoon. Irritated by her solid whimpering, the spider hissed. "Don't like it? Then keep your mouth shut!" With more silken web, she wrapped the bovine's mouth like a gag to keep her from screaming. Only her head stuck out from the cocoon. Now that the spider was finished, she dragged the frightened bovine back down below the tunnels like a carrying bag. Grace watched as the only exit grew smaller and smaller as she was being carried off by some giant spider to be the main course. She was unable to ask the spider where she was carrying her because of the gag still covering her mouth.

"A cow you must be eh?" the spider asked in that thin creaking voice of hers. "That's even better to tell you the truth. Because you see, we spiders desire meat much sweeter and tender than those raw filthy undead civilians from above. And you my little fly are more alive than dead. But after I have my nap, you'll make a fine course for me and my children!" she cackled throughout the caverns.

_Children!_ Grace was horror stricken. She had a bad feeling about what the spider meant. Soon she would be coming face to face with a whole family of evil sneering arachnids with an appetite for sweet meat such as herself. She struggled to break free in the cocoon but to no avail, and there was simply no use screaming through the gag. All she could do was mumble.

"Its no use my little fly," the spider hissed. "Only a mere sharp object can cut through these unbreakable cords. But if I were you, I wouldn't bother worrying about finding one down in these caves!" she cackled once again dragging Grace through the same left tunnel from which the young heifer had denied entering in the first place.


	6. Web of Fear

**Chapter6: Web of Fear**

_The left tunnel_

Feeling the sliminess of the cobwebs sticking to her blond hair, Grace felt tears began to well up in her eyes as the great spider still dragged her across a pile of bones from unknown species. She reckoned the bones might have come from the undead or newcomers from out of this world. Pretty soon, she would be added to it without any hope of ever seeing her friends and family again. The soft crunch of bones and the spiders gurgling was all that she heard as she was still be being dragged off to her doom.

Throughout the tunnel above, Grace could see nothing more than cobwebs waving about and many other cocoons of different shapes and sizes. She thought she spotted a skeletal arm or leg sticking out from a few. Grace made a loud mumble when the carcass of what appeared to be some type of bird dangled above her head in a string of web. The horrible sight of it made her cringe and struggle in the cocoon she was in. During the tense moments that followed, she wished her heart would stop pounding and beating so loudly. But in a situation like this, it was difficult to stay calm; especially if you were being held captive by one of your worse fears in life. It was wise of her to not risk venturing into this part, even if it was only for a moment; but now the sight of it continued to send shivers up and down her spine. She even cringed more and more from the echo of bones crunching beneath her. As if the dark forest wasn't bad enough, this was almost unbearable. With the sticky layers of web clinging to her head, it was a little hard to see where the spider was taking her with a few bits covering her eyes.

Her pounding heart eased slightly when she felt the spider moving slower than before. Could she be nearing the lair anytime now? But now she began to wince as she thought she heard more hissing and gurgling somewhere nearby. From the sound of them, Grace had a pretty good guess that it would be the **_children!_**

**

* * *

**

_The Spiders nest_

"Oh children!" the spider hissed intensely. Grace looked around to see that she was no longer in the web infested narrow tunnel but now a wider area similar to what a bears cave would be. Only now that this place was covered in the biggest, slimiest, even scarier giant web she had ever set eyes upon. Grace could hear bones connect with bones and a skeleton come crashing down as she was dragged in. She shuddered and cringed when a few dry ashes sprinkled over her. Even beneath the gag covering her mouth still, Grace had bitten her lip as she tried to stifle a sob of fear and pity filling her beating heart.

Gazing up above the ceiling, the blond heifers eyes widened in horror when a couple of blackish spiders had come crawling out of a few holes and burrows. They weren't exactly as big and fat looking as their mother but they were still ugly and grotesque. Once they saw Grace, some came crawling toward her along with a few others dangling down by silken thread. She could feel their legs poking at her cocoon as they gurgled endlessly.

"I hope this is not another of those tasteless undead as always," said one, poking its front left leg into her cheek making Grace wince at its touch. "No, it's alive and whimpering, and I hope its carrying good juice inside." Another spider rushed forward and pushed the first one aside to check and see for itself.

"This must be the fattest, juiciest, sweetest meat there is around," it said with a gurgle. "I can't wait to find out how it taste."

"Why don't we eat it now," hissed a fourth spider. "There hasn't been enough live meat to come wandering down here." Grace became more horrified as she listened to the children still talking and arguing over how they should feed on her. That's when the mother spider had cut in.

"Now children, you know the rules in this nest," she replied, sticking the cocooned dairy cow to the right side of the web; leaving her dangling upside down with a few other cocoons. "Nobody eats one bite of this meat until we all have our rest." The spider children moaned in disappointment from hearing their mother say this, but they did as they were told when she gave each and every one of them a stern look. They followed her as she crawled to the very center of the giant web for a nice long nap until feeding time begun.

After all the spiders had gone to sleep, Grace struggled swinging back and forth to break free of this captive cocoon. It had been complicating trying to do so, especially if you didn't have a sharp weapon lying around anyplace. If she couldn't free herself at this moment, perhaps she could try removing the silken gag off her mouth. After all, spider silk can't stay sticky forever couldn't it? Quickly, she began rubbing her face against her left shoulder blade to find out. After a few long minutes of doing so, the gag slipped off, but there was still a little bit of stickiness left to cling to a part of her neck and right cheek. Although Grace didn't seem to mind that, she knew that this danger she was still in was far from over.

"Where's a knife when you need one?" she said silently not wanting to wake any of the sleeping spiders. The cocoon was still strong enough to keep her tied up, but Grace thought she felt herself slip a bit from the inside. It must have been from all that struggling she endured. She began to smile weakly.

"I'm slipping; now if only I could find something to cut me loose," She gazed down below the ground but could find nothing. Just when all seemed lost for a moment, a skeletal arm dangled out of a cocoon; carrying in its grasp what seemed to be a bowie-style knife. Grace smiled once more.

"I could use that," Luckily the cocoon was only a few inches away from where she had still been dangling upside down. She swung herself back and forth to reach the handle of the knife with her mouth. So far, she had succeeded in reaching and grabbing it. Even though she held the handle with her teeth, Grace could feel herself slip down an inch inside the cocoon once more. Still it was not enough to free her. Grace was still clever to know that she needed to get out of the spiders nest fast without the risk of being caught. "I've got to get of here quick before it's too late," she whispered through gritted teeth as she used the knife to cut the cords. The cocoon didn't feel as sticky and slimy earlier when she first got captured. Now it was starting to feel like a soft dry bush or a bundle of hay. Grace had finally managed to cut the thread from her neck to her midsection, making it easier for her now to wiggle herself out. She slipped down slowly all the way like rolled out dough. Brushing the strands of web off her hide, she peered back over at the sleeping mother spider and her children. None of them seemed to budge a bit, even from the tiny sounds of her footsteps she made when walking back through the left tunnel.

**

* * *

**

_Back in the right tunnel_

Getting through out of the left tunnel and back to the right had been hell for Grace. Heck, there would be even more hell for her soon at any moment when she would at least expect it. Having to tread through the web infested tunnel with a load of bones littering the ground had sent a few shivers down her spine from causing minor cracks with her hooves. A couple piles had tumbled a few feet from her treading. Well now there had been no point in her for turning back to that dreadful prison while she still had a mission to accomplish.

"I hope that entire racket didn't wake them," she whispered worriedly as she spotted the exit a mile above. She was preparing to make a run for it until a small creaking hissing voice startled her.

"There's the meat, stop it!" She turned to find one of the spider children swing from the ceiling over to her position like a wild man in the jungle. Grace ducked down from the oncoming attack causing the spider to crash into the other wall.

"Ugh," the spider moaned as it slid down slowly falling flat on the ground.

"I'll get it," Grace dodged another attack as another spider hurtled down only to crash into the wall as the first spider ended up doing.

That does it! Grace gathered up her courage and rushed for the exit opening above head butting any of the spider children jumping at her. She had it up to here with becoming a bovine in distress so far and knew that it was the time to get serious. She listened as the spiders hissing and gurgling still echoed in the tunnel using every bit of her strength to dodge and kick more oncoming attacks.

"Out of my way you!" she blurted out as she head butted another spider which jumped out at her. She might not stand a chance again the mother spider but she and her faithful companions could handle the children as well as taking on Slim's henchmen. Small rubbles of pebbles dropped from the ceiling as a few of the spider children still followed her. But Grace was not about to give up too soon when she was now nearing the opening. However, one of the children blocked the way hoping she would be recaptured. But that didn't seem to stop Grace as they saw she was still running toward at a fast pace with a serious expression.

"Sorry, not this time!" she replied, head butting the spider out of her path. Outside, the sky had become less dark than before. Grace figured that it must be morning already; well almost. Hearing a few squeals, Grace turned to where the opening stood and saw the spider children squealing as if they were in some sort of painful danger.

"The light, the air is killing me!" it whimpered diving back into the tunnel. The other children did the same thing as they dove back inside forgetting about their prey.

"Hmm, I wonder what their problem is," she said puzzled. "Maybe they don't like the sunshine." She shrugged as she continued on the trail to the witch's mansion. "Just wait till Maggie and Mrs. Calloway hear about this."


	7. Dead Man's Swamp

**Chapter7: Dead Man's Swamp**

_Meanwhile elsewhere_

"Millicent, get over here!" A harsh raspy voice boomed in the darkness.

"What is it my Mistress?" another mysterious figure rushed into the dark room where the first voice called.

"How do you explain this?" The first voice turned to signal at a black cauldron which showed an image of a dairy cow treading on the trail in the boiling liquid.

"Um…well I…"

"I thought you said this outsider would be eliminated the moment she enters the dark forest. Now she's just escaped from the Great Spider's cave and is on the trail again!"

"Um…well…uh…I do seem to have underestimated her strong will in making it this far my Mistress! But I'd also wager the spider didn't use her venom on this one. Usually once her victims are stung, they are as weak as helpless kittens."

"Hmm, I see. Yet the air outside is rather sensitive to their eyes as they prefer to stay underground. Still, very few newcomers from out of this world have ever escaped from the spider caves alive and lived to tell the tale. And she still has a long way to go to get here. All she has to do is pass through Phantom Valley, the Indian Burial Ground, and Shadow Cemetery. If she manages to make it here, I'll be waiting to see how strong her will is!" The dark shadow cackled in the darkness and held out her left arm for the other figure to file her _hoof_?

"I wonder why my sleeping spell didn't affect her."

**

* * *

**

_The swamps_

"PU, what a foul smell," Grace made a disgusted expression as she stuck her tongue out in disgust. She sensed she was close to stepping on a place called Dead Man's Swamp as mentioned on the map she held with her tail. It was starting to smell bad once more and Grace knew she could never take it much longer from having to breathe in the unpleasant atmosphere. Although it wasn't as bad smelling as the farmhouse or the spider caves, it was still unpleasant to be surrounded.

"Dead Man's Swamp, this is it," Grace had just come across a sign labeling the areas name. The reek of the marshes came to her nostrils, heavy, foul, and foggy even in the daytime. The rift was about twenty feet deep when she crossed over. It was not too difficult to resist crossing over them. There was running water trickling down from the hills to the moors beyond. This place had smelled of death and decay just like the spider caves. There had already been too much of that everywhere. For once, why couldn't the air smell less decaying? She had almost forgotten how fresh air smelled like. In some areas, there had been lampposts lit like candles making it a little easier for Grace to see clearly through the fog that engulfed the swamp besides her light crystal.

"Huh!" Grace gasped when she felt her front right foot slip off the edge and into the swamp. For a moment, she felt the dirty water brush against it than a low growling. Peering over the reek, she saw a trail of ripples heading toward her. Giving her foot a good tug, she moved further away not wanting to find out what it was in the marsh. Grace turned to the right, left, southwest, southeast, more or less, splashing along in the shallow streams. But the longer she splashed step by step; the stream seemed to be growing deeper from her hooves to her knees. It had also caused her to move slower. From this moment, Grace decided to climb back atop the grassy mounds. Her legs were half caked from walking too long in the slimy marshes. The last thing she would need after getting out of this world would be a nice bath to clean the mold off her beautiful hide. Soon, Grace found another wooden sign posted on a dead tree reading _Beware the swamp gators_.

"More predators here, that's just what I need right now; more predator trouble," Grace did not want to deal with any more dangerous situations in having to reach for Callie's mansion, but knew she had no other choice to make but to be careful. The map said to turn left of the bogs, so that's what she did. But she also noticed a few standing rocks sticking out of the swamps which meant she needed to cross over by standing over each one. At last the sky had grown faint with a few grayish clouds passing over the sky. It must have been getting close to dawn again.

"I better just make the best of it," Grace hopped over to one stone and another and another. So far each one held still without wiggling. Maybe she didn't have to worry too much about the alligators whilst crossing if she stayed on top without slipping. The banks were now moss mounds. Dry reeds rattled through a minor breeze passing by. All of this didn't seem to bother Grace too much as she still hopped on one stone to another.

Yet even as she skipped, she could have sworn her ears began to perk up at the sound of a few growls growing louder as if she was being followed which meant that she had to move faster. But now another problem followed; the fog grew thicker every moment she skipped to a different rock making it difficult to see where she was supposed to be skipping. However, looking through the misty grove, she was able to see another of the standing stones. But without warning, she suddenly slipped off the rock after an attempt to stand on it and landed in the swamp. Kicking furiously up to the surface, she could barely make out which way she had been trying to reach because of the mist covering almost everything. But now the familiar growling came to her again when she turned her head to the right where large ripples formed in the swamp followed by a few more running toward her position.

"Oh no," Grace guessed those must be the alligators and kicked her feet, churning water to get away from them as quickly as possible. A huge gator drew its head out of the water and made a beeline for her. Grace managed to move out of the way causing the gator to crash into one of the standing stones instead. She kept on moving swimming through the water in a mad frenzy. No matter how hard she swam, she could feel the gators drawing closer as she felt the swampy water vibrating around her. Soon she was able to make out a shore through the gloomy mist. But even if she reached it, the gators would still come after her. Was there no other way to make them go away?

BANG! That was when a loud blast broke through the fog. Grace ceased swimming and turned back to see the gators swimming further away from her, disappearing into the misty marshes. As she was still watching them swim away, she felt a strong hand suddenly shot out and grab her by the scruff of her neck pulling her out of the filthy bog. Shaking a few bits of the swamp off her hide, she looked up and saw the same undead farmer she encountered out in the creepy old farmhouse.

"Ye know you outsiders should watch yerselves when ye pass through these no good rotten swamp gators. Once ye fall in, they'll be chompin' after you." In his left arm, he held a Winchester rifle with a cloud of smoke trailing out the holes.

"Um, Th…thank you, I'll be on my way now," Grace could not think of any other way to react to this old loon who offered to share a revolting dish of that horrible stew he held in the tray.

"What's ye hurry outsider? Seems no one wants to share a word with Slimy Joe; who's me o'course," the farmer called out to her when she began to walk on the trail. Grace stopped walking and turned back to him. Maybe he could give her a few hints on what to watch out for on her quest.

"I'm on my way to a witch's house. Her name is Callie!"

"Callie!" Slimy Joe dropped his rifle and shuddered as if he had just seen something terrifying pass by a moment ago. "Ye are goin' to see C…CALLIE?" His croaking voice shuddered at the sound of that name.

"Well, yes; you see my two friends have been bewitched and I'm…"

"Are ye outta yer mine? No one has ever had the guts n' glory to try and reason wit' the most dangerous, most evilest witch of our world. NEVER!" As he shouted, his left eye popped out and landed on the soft moist. "Oops, let me get that there," he reached down and placed it back in his left eye socket. Grace cringed at what just happened. This situation was getting far too weird. "Well partner, if yer still thinking o' goin' over there, my advice for ye would be to stay on the track and watch for a few warning signs just like the one bout the gators. Usually I like to come here to hunt'em down and make a good meal outta them." He licked his green lips and rubbed his stomach. It may have sounded good to him but to Grace, it was completely revolting and unnatural. Making a disgusted expression, she turned back to the trail but decided to thank him once again for his small advice.

"Thanks, I'll remember what you said!" she called out and then continued on the trail. Maybe Slimy Joe wasn't as crazy as she thought he was, but still thought he seemed rather unnatural in way or two.

"Don't mention it; and come down and visit anytime ye feel like it!" as he watched her disappear, he picked up his rifle and turned his attention to the swamps. "Alright gators, here I come."

**

* * *

**

_Elsewhere_

"I see the outsider has managed to pull through Dead Man's Swamp. Once again I underestimate her strong will. Yet does she even believe she can reason with me that easily?" The dark mysterious figure looked to be stroking through her hair and adjusting her dark cape. Only she seemed to have hooves instead of hands. She peered into the cauldron again to see what else the outsider was heading to. It was a desert.

"The poor fool doesn't know what is beyond this world. With this form I'm using, I wonder how she'll handle it." She made a wicked chuckle and watched as the outsider entered the desert trail.


	8. Phantom Valley

**Chapter8: Phantom Valley**

_In the desert_

Upon entering the desert surrounded by dead silence all around her, Grace had been meaning to focus on staying on the trail straight ahead and not to wander off. She gazed from left to right to watch out for any warning signs that may be posted anywhere. So far, there had been none as Grace kept walking to think about how she would be able to talk the witch into removing the spell off her friends.

"What if the farmer is right about this?" she said to herself as she gazed at a few of the dead trees and bushes. "Maybe the witch won't listen to me, even if I begged her." She shook her head in disbelief. "I have to at least try. What other choice do I have to make?" She turned her attention back to the desert trail and kept on walking straight forward.

But after the young heifer had been walking for almost an hour, she began to feel her stomach ache and rumble possibly from hunger. The only problem was that there was hardly anything to eat in this dreadful world so far and nothing in this desert proved to be helpful at the least. Now she had been wishing for a fresh bundle of that sweet hay from back on the Patch of Heaven farm.

"I probably shouldn't be thinking of food right now, but I haven't had anything to eat in this world ever since I walked out of Pumpkin Hollow. I wish I had a bundle of fresh hay to satisfy my taste buds," Grace sat against a large boulder to take a rest from a long hour of walking.

As she still sat there, she didn't seem to notice a flash of light spark from behind her unexpectedly until she turned her head back. To her surprise, there were piles of golden hay sitting beside her position. Grace felt her heart fill with delight and her mouth water with starvation as she started chewing and gulping down almost every bit of it without having to question herself on how it appeared here. She didn't care as long as she is filling her empty stomach. She continued eating as if she had not eaten in weeks or months from swallowing, chewing, munching, and chomping all the way. This was the sweetest hay she ever tasted.

Finally, she had stopped when she felt her stomach had been full enough for now. There had been only a few minimal ounces of hay left on the ground, but Grace couldn't take even another small bite of it for once. "Enough is enough for me," she said with a burp. "I still have a mansion to get to." She rose up from the ground to continue walking down the desert trail unaware of two read eyes belonging to a vulture watching her from the branch of a dead tree.

"That enchanted hay works every time," it snickered in a creaking voice. "Let's see how well she handles the shape shifters."

**

* * *

**

_In the midst of the desert_

Truth was that Grace was unaware that she had just been eating a sort of enchanted hay which may have been possibly cast by one of Callie's minions stalking her as Minerva had predicted. In this world, anybody would already know that any kind of magic food whether intended for people or animals causes the victim to eat and eat until they exploded or when their teeth fell out. Luckily there wasn't that much hay for Grace to keep on going. Still, the taste of the hay made her want to eat more right now, despite feeling full. She wondered how it was that she was unable to get a hold of herself from eating so fast. It was as if she was under a spell of some sort.

"Everything sure seems quiet around here," she whispered as she gazed at the dead trees and cactuses. She could see a few canyons in the distance similar to the ones in her world. But even in the dead silence, the feeling of something lurking in the shadows watching her sank deep into her mind from all the memories of Lucky Jack's campfire tales. How she wished she never had to listen to them that night and not be stuck in this eerie world trying to help her friends. The sky had grown from light to dark which signaled the coming of nighttime upon her. The orange sun sank below the canyon rocks. The feelings of loneliness came to her mind.

In the centre of the desert trail came a few tumbleweeds rolling past her. The most peculiar thing was that there had been no sound of wind blowing. As she watched them blow by, she wondered what else kind of witchery might be prowling about in this desert. There had also been more dead trees and bushes with limbs gnarled, twisted, and shaped like skeletal arms and claws. Grace remembered the tales of man eating trees waiting for their prey to approach in order to eat them like flies in a web, whether in the dark forest or the desert. As she tried to pass by them without looking, she thought she felt something claw at her back legs.

"Ouch, what was that?" Grace turned her head back and thought she viewed the twigs in a leafless bush to be more like tiny monster claws either grabbing or cutting her. "Grace gasped and pulled away from its grasp. Now her back legs had a couple of minimal cuts. No matter how dead everything seemed around her, anything is bound to happen; especially if she was beginning to see something white hanging around the branches of the dead trees. It may have been possible that lightning struck parts of these trees while a few living souls of newcomers had been standing close to them. And now they're here wandering the desert forever without any hope of resting in peace. She passed the dead trees in safety, but soon there would be new perils lying before when she would at least expect it.

About a hundred feet from the haunted trees, there lay two high plateaus in between her standing position like some giant gate into another territory. As she approached them, she felt herself break into a tremble. She thought she heard another howl far in the distance; she gulped as she prepared to go between them holding the map with her tail. This area was referred to as Twin Plateaus. Its shadows loomed over her considering it to be another cursed place. It was as if it was waiting for her to pass in order to swallow her up.

The hairs on her hide rose up with terror passing between. What other turn would she have to make? Grace let out a sigh of relief when she managed to make it out of the two plateaus. But now she felt the ground beneath her shaking. Could it be an earthquake? No, that's impossible. Only a rumble like that could be caused by one thing. She whirled around as a herd of steers headed right toward her at a fast pace. The running was as loud and treacherous as the clap of thunder mixed with bolts of lightning. Before she knew it, the stampede was upon her. She could barely make out what else was happening because of the deafening of their hooves causing clouds of thick dust entering her eyes. Covering her face, she had at least expected one of the steers to knock her down with the others trampling her to death; but it never happened. She stood still in the blinding dust waiting for them to pass over. Not only did she hear the steers bellowing, but the crack of a whip and a few cowboy cries following. She listened closely as the thundering of the hooves fell silent by the minute.

Panting, her eyes squinted through the dust clouds as the thickness decreased. At last, Grace could see the desert again, yet even so she sees as there are no hoof prints on the ground left behind from those steers who passed by.

"I must have seen the ghosts of steers and riders then," she said in a panicked tone. Grace knew she needed to move forward before more phantom trouble would be riding here and mistake her for a trespasser disturbing their place of death. "Well let me just hope that I don't run into any more…huh!" she paused as she set her eyes on two familiar figures standing atop a sand mound; a round pudgy faced bovine and a Holstein with a purple bonnet on her head.

"Maggie, Mrs. Calloway, you're okay!" Grace felt so happy to see them, she could almost cry. Perhaps it was possible to just ask the witch to send them back home now that her friends are alright. When she ran over to them, they still stood there staring emotionless without blinking their eyes for once; but Grace was too excited to even notice this. "I'm glad you're both here, now I don't have to travel alone anymore. We can all go together. How did you get here?" The two of them did not answer.

"Did you wake up and follow me here?" still no answer.

"Any chance I might be able to make up for leaving you behind?" still no answer. Grace felt her excitement slip away. Something about her friends didn't seem right. Whenever they were angry or upset, they would tell her. But this time they were in a silent treatment. Could they be under another kind of evil spell she doesn't know about? Without answering, they turned away and ran down the hills without explanation.

"Wait, where are you going?" she called out as she followed where they were going. Up till now, they were standing before a dark cavern carved into a red plateau with rocks shaped like coyotes. "You want me to go in there?" Grace was starting to have a bad feeling about this. It's not like her friends to dare her to enter a place where they should never be. And why were they not talking to her? Could it be that they angry with her for being left behind in the pumpkin patch? She couldn't blame them for that, but she followed anyway. Inside it was dark and twisted with the echoes of dripping water.

"Is this the right way to go?" She stared blankly inside as the two friends behind her suddenly began to transform into ghostly hideous cloaked figures uttering a shrill cry. Grace turned around thunderstruck from what she saw that made her stomach twist. Their arms were skeletal and their cloaks were like something dead in the water. Whatever else was under the hoods began to suck something more than air from its surroundings. Grace felt her own breath catch in her chest as the cold air began to fill inside her body. The creatures were sucking out her soul!


	9. Indian Burial Ground

**Chapter9: Indian Burial Ground**

In the caverns

"Leave me alone!" she cried, kicking a cloud of dust in their faceless hoods. Grace ran for the cave inside wondering if the shape shifters would try to follow her. Looking back, they threw their skeletal hands to their necks as if they were gasping for air while under water. Grace watched as they flew off into the distance like speeding bullets.

"Oh, now what's the matter…with them?" Her voice trailed off for a moment as she glanced around the cave and noticed a few painted images on the walls. She hardly knew anything about this place she had entered. There were paintings of buffalos, deer, coyotes, and stick people on horses chasing after a herd of steers like the ghosts that have passed by her outside the two plateaus. To her right, there were stick people banging on drums, buffalos being ridden by stick people carrying some kind of pointed object at a herd of deer. The image made Grace feel nervous; hopefully it didn't mean there were more of those dangerous meat eating hunters to be found somewhere inside of here.

"What is this place I have entered?" she whispered, keeping her voice as quiet enough to not utter a ruckus that might cause the cave obstacles to drop. The vapid drawings were not the only thing she found as her eyes locked onto the skulls of steers perched upon rocks that formed a circle around a flattened rock with a feathered headdress on top and a drum lying beside it. There were a few more flat rocks with unnatural names for human beings carved into them: Morning Star, Sly Fox, River Sky, White Snow, Little Bear, Running Water, Singing Bird, Playful One, Hawk Eye, Flying Eagle, Long Hair, Winter Breeze, Yellow Sun, Summer Wind, Falling Rain, Coyote Tail, and Chief Thunder Cloud which was carved under the feathered headdress.

"Hmm, someone sure has done a swell job with decorating here," Grace whispered in a low tone as she stepped into the circle to examine the rocks some more. "Why would there be rocks with names on them?" She thought foolishly that perhaps they were the name of the rocks. Then again, that would have to be the most ridiculous thing she could ever think of; names given to ordinary rocks? But who would want to place them here surrounded in an organized circle? The more Grace examined the area, the more she was unaware of what possible spiritual activity may be lurking in this dark cavern. Finding her way in the dark was no problem with the light crystal still around her neck. She did not know what else to make of this place; whether it was someone's hideout abandoned long ago leaving their belongings behind or another forbidden place which should remain undisturbed.

"Huh, what is this?" The young heifer's eyes caught something white with a black tip at the end. Picking it up with her tail, it looked to be the feather of a hawk or an eagle. Perhaps it might have flown in here and lost one of its feathers. Should she find the flying creature and return its feather or just simply leave it here?

"Whoever lost this feather must be looking for it. Maybe I should…" Grace began to have another thought of possibly running into a hawk or eagle asking her if she has seen a feather lying around. If they were to soar in here, there is a chance they may become lost in the darkness. She never thought about that happening before.

"I'll take this feather with me and return it to its rightful owner. I'm sure it's what the others would want me to do: wouldn't they?" she finished, placing the feather behind her right ear. It was time to step out of the circle and find another opening wherever that may be.

Grace should have known better; known better than to step foot in an unknown circle of named rocks which were really tombstones of Native Americans. Worse yet, she should have known better than to take something that didn't belong to her, lying on sacred ground. Because pretty soon, she would discover that the feather she picked up was really a piece from the headdress sitting on the tombstone of Chief Thunder Cloud. Grace was too busy singing one of her favorite folk songs in a silent tone that she was now unaware of a trail of mist blowing across from the tombstones to where she was heading.

This tunnel she was heading through seemed to be going onward and onward endlessly. But at least there were no giant webs to be found or having to smell the awful stench of decay in the air. It smelled rather clear like it would outside. That was a relief.

"Every tunnel I enter always seems to go on forever," Grace whispered in a worried voice. The walls had more painted images of buffalos, horses, and stick people making equipment with their own hands. "How strange, every wall is covered with paintings I've never seen before." Parts of the cavern walls were now decorated in moss and tree vines. But that wasn't the only thing that caught her eyes, Grace walked over to the left side of the walls to examine something she thought she saw hiding behind the moss. Pushing them out of the way with her front hooves, there was a painting of an animal (possibly a cow like her) standing in a familiar circle of decorated rocks? The next image showed the animal wearing a feather in its head stepping away from the rocks. Another image showed trails of smoke rising from the tombstone transforming into these strange men in weird clothing carrying weapons chasing after the animal. Grace gulped hoping that animal in the painting couldn't possibly be her; or could it? But there were more to be seen. The next image showed the stick people finally capturing the animal and carrying it like roasted chicken on a stick and placing it a few feet above a pile of firewood. The last image showed a stick person wearing this headdress covered in feathers all the way down to its feet, standing before the captive animal. Grace stood there staring at the paintings in puzzlement. Could they have been trying to tell her something about those carved rocks?

Suddenly a few strange cries broke the silence of the cavern as Grace turned to see a grey mist heading toward her. The frightened heifer made a run for it listening as the sounds grew closer and louder. Grace felt herself began to slow down when something sharp and pointed pricked into her neck from somewhere behind. Grace collapsed on the cold hard ground and thought she noticed a few strange red-skinned men with feathers in their heads, pointing sharp objects at her before she went limp and her vision had faded.


	10. The Chief's Tale

**Chapter10: The Chief's Tale**

_Meanwhile in the cavern walls_

Grace awoke to find her four legs all tied up around a thick long spit which was being carried by strange bare-chested men in dark braided hair with paintings on their bodies. A few other strange men followed behind. Grace remembered the painting on the walls showing something like this. It was her on there after all! But how is it possible?

"Where are you taking me?" she asked, hoping for a simple answer. The mystery men kept on going without answering as they paraded her through the painted cavern walls to an opening. "Look whatever the reason for tying me up like this, I'm sorry but I don't have much time. I have a mansion to get to!"

"SHHH!" one warrior put his finger to his lips.

**

* * *

**

_In an unknown place_

She found them leading her to an area filled with pointed triangular houses, sharp pointed objects, and other strange people dressed in what looked to be animal clothing. They seemed to have been busy making equipment until they watched with curiosity as the warriors pushed Grace forward. To her surrounding, some of the red-skinned people wore large gold earrings, beaded necklaces, long leathered blankets covering their shoulders, and feathers sticking out of their long dark hair. Others had been drawing out these strange images in the soft ground while one warrior smoked the strangest pipe Grace had ever seen. The smoke clouds formed a sort of symbol signaling something or another. Grace looked up and saw an opening crevice above the caverns. The sky had turned into dusk with stars twinkling after another. Grace began to get scared when the people still kept staring at her as if she were an enemy of theirs; enemies she might have never heard of. Even if she did, she was certainly not one of them. What else frightened her was the thunderous beating of drums building higher and higher as she watched a wide circle of warriors banging their instruments.

"Please don't tell me you're planning on eating me or whatever," Grace whimpered as the warriors were now leading her to a pile of kindling firewood placed in the center of the wide circle. She sighed and looked at the firewood. This is all thanks to her stepping into that circle of carved decorated rocks disturbing some ancient spirits in their resting place. Now she tied up like a turkey (like in the painting) hanging over a pile of firewood, waiting for who knows what else to happen. She only had herself to blame for this mess. Now it was too late to fix what she had done.

Grace listened as the drums beat slower and slower. Out of a tent, there popped a big wrinkled faced man with a painted face, small angry brown eyes, black pointed eyebrows and a long slender wrinkled mouth. On his head he wore a familiar grand feathered headdress, a pair of moccasins and a beaded shawl mixed with the colors of red, orange, and brown. The beating of the drums came to a stop when the man approached the intruder tied on the spit.

"Howdy…partner," Grace could not think of any other way to react to this strange man, other than give a friendly greeting. The man stared madly down at her with his arms folded across his chest. Instead of returning her greeting, he sketched his hand in the air.

"Many centuries ago, we the Sioux tribe have lived on and respected this land with peace, harmony, guidance, and wisdom in caring for all of the beauty Mother Nature has built. We had once lived high above the caverns where we would have the stars to guide us wherever we were. That is until we were driven off our land by the greed of the white men along with their implements of destruction. We had fought back, but their numbers had been far greater than our own. After that, many of us were killed and we had no where else to go, and no other choice but to hide in here. It was never easy starting a new life in hiding from a world which we were no longer welcomed into. Now we are a tribe long forgotten possibly by time; but even in death, we had hoped no man or animal not of ours would discover our hideout. And because this ground is sacred, no evil spirits have dared to enter here."

Grace thought of the two shape shifters who were in the form of her two best friends preparing to suck out her soul. That must have been why they had flown away. As long as she was in here, they would not harm her; but what about the chief standing before her? Her weak smile faded.

"But you outsider, should have thought twice before stepping foot on our resting ground to take something not of yours." A warrior in a pair of leather pants and moccasins walked toward with a torch in his right hand.

"Wait a minute, what does me having to enter your cavern have to do with your sad story? I haven't taken anything from you, really I haven't!" Grace cried in a panicked tone. The chief snatched the feather from behind her ear and placed it back in his headdress to fill a missing spot. Grace felt herself blush with embarrassment and foolishness. That wasn't a birds missing feather she carried, it was a piece of the headdress from that…tombstone! Grace gasped in shock which must have meant…

"It is I Chief Thunder Cloud to whom you speak before!" The chief grunted in a high tone. "The paintings on the cavern walls represent a warning to intruders: if one should ever disturb these resting grounds, shall be punished by flame!" Ounces of sweat began pouring down the bovine's fearful face; which meant they were going to set the wood on fire underneath her. "You have no place among us or our sacred animals. You are an outsider and have been brought over here by those who have stripped us of our land, invaded our shores, leaving us to hide in this cavern for all eternity!" He pointed his arm at the pile of firewood to signal for it to be lit. The warrior prepared to light it with the torch in his right hand.

"No wait, you got it all wrong! I didn't mean to steal anything from you, honest!" The torch was just seconds away from lighting a fire beneath her. "I only came in here because I…I…I was at first brought into this world by the powers of a witch named Callie!" The tribe looked up and gasped in astonishment. Thunder Cloud motioned for the warrior to hold the fire away from the pile.

"What was that name you said?" he asked as if he knew what she was talking about. Grace became confused for a moment trying to think of what else to say in her defense.

"I mean to say that I am on my way to see a witch named Callie. You see my friends are…"

"No living mortal has ever dared to negotiate with the witch known as Callie!" Thunder Cloud interrupted madly. "Why do you seek her?" Grace looked at him with anger fed up with the chief's grudge with the white men and her. She was also getting tired of being asked the same questions over and over.

"Look Chief Thunderstorm or whatever, I have two friends who are under a spell, and I have face too many dangers of walking pumpkins, evil trees, hungry coyotes, outrunning a giant spider and her ugly children, and I had to cross a gator infested swamp to reach the desert all for the sake of my friends! And now you're going to burn me because of something that happened long ago when I never had anything to do with it in the first place? I just want to help my friends and…get back home; they're counting on me," Her anger disappeared and was replaced with sorrow as she cried her heart out. Seeing the tears fall from her eyes, Chief Thunder Cloud was stunned from her outburst. He hardly ever remembered listening to someone talk like that when he was still alive. His tribe was just as stunned as he was and looked at him questionably. In his heart, he knew what they might want to ask if what they were doing was wrong. He looked at the warrior with the same lighted torch awaiting an order of whether to light a fire or not. Rubbing his forehead, his mind filled with concerned thoughts like no other as he walked closer to Grace whose cheeks were now tearstained. She was unable to feel him place his finger under her eyelid waiting for another tear to drop.

"You have shown deep anger and sorrow through these tears you cry," The chief declared as he studied the teardrop on his fingertip. "You are still an outsider to this tribe, yet you possess a strong spirit inside; something we have seen no other outsider show during captivity. We had witnessed many of them accept their faith through the flame which you still hang above. We were angry at what happened before, but perhaps we are no better than the white men by nearly sending you to an unjust death. And we might as well have angered the spirits ourselves through this whole ridiculous ceremony." Grace choked on a few more sobs when she listened to his speech. She had at least expected him to raise his voice to her when she expressed her emotions. But there was one more question.

"Forgive me, but how do you know about Callie? Have you met her yourself?" she asked with a sniffle. The chief nodded his head in response.

"Yes, but me and my tribe have never seen her reveal her true identity. She was in the form as a member of the tribe. Once she had tried to gain control of our land, but the spirits powers were much too sacred and could never be used for evil. I was able to cast her out of here and use the powers of the ancient spirits to protect our nation from all that is evil. Her real form is still unknown to this day and we may as well never know about it, unless one of us dares to leave this cavern. She can take on any form, and if you still dare to seek her out, she may be awaiting in a form you do not wish to see." Chief Thunder Cloud's words were wise and true enough for good advice. The tribe looked at their chief awaiting to hear his next words.

"Release the prisoner!" the warrior next to him extinguished the flame in his hand and walked beside another warrior to pull the spit away from the wood pile and cut the bonds from each of Grace's ankles. Because the ropes felt tight enough to make her feel as if they were cutting deep into her skin, she rubbed them a bit with one hoof.

"Forgive us before, but even if the witches have shown no interest in coming here no more, there is still much greater evil out there and we must do what we have to by staying here and not leave this place unprotected. That is our only duty, just as yours is to help your friends through facing greater peril. Follow me and my warriors; we shall point the way."

Grace followed them through another cavern of painted images. Although the images were well drawn, she still didn't understand their meaning too well. Perhaps the images must have something to do with a history of this lost and forgotten tribe. Then again, it might as well be not for her to know about. Finally the chief and his warriors lead her to an opening outside on a plateau, which was not too high for her to climb down.

"Follow the path up ahead," Chief Thunder Cloud advised pointing his finger on the trail leading to an area covered in gray clouds. That would be her final destination as labeled on the map: _Shadow Cemetery_. Grace gulped wiping sweat from her forehead. Who knows what might be lurking over in that place?

"Do not be afraid outsider," Thunder Cloud advised. "The light crystal which you carry will keep the dark shadow creatures from harming you. The light is what they fear most of all." Grace gazed down at the mineral around her neck and thanked the chief for his help and for letting her go. "Before you leave, you must promise to tell no one of this place or where you have been, understand?" Grace nodded in response and thanked him once again before climbing down the plateau and back on the trail. The tribe watched her from high above the plateau until her shadow disappeared into the distance. It was a wise decision to let her go since she had done no further harm to their place other than take a simple feather from the chief's headdress, thinking that some other bird might have dropped it. But he had other thoughts about what he and his tribe shall do unless another outsider is to disturb their sacred resting place.

**

* * *

**

_Meanwhile elsewhere_

"So the Sioux tribe has let her go and now she still walks," a raspy voice spoke with a British accent. "Never mind about them, I never wanted anything to do with their culture in the first place; too sacred and pure for me to handle, Millicent!" a thin figure rushed in the darkness to assist.

"What is it my Mistress?" Millicent spoke panting.

"I need you to track down this bovine and see what else you find about her. She is becoming a pest to this world and in finding me for a hard bargain.

"It seems the enchanted hay didn't affect her for much longer my Mistress," said Millicent in a croaking voice.

"JUST FOLLOW HER NOW!" the thin figure rushed out of the dark room in search of the bovine.


	11. Shadow Cemetery

**Chapter11: Shadow Cemetery**

_Outside the gates_

Grace stood frozen stiff before a wrought iron gate with a spider webbed shaped pattern. In the center, a lock resembling an eerie wolf's face had been chained to them. The only thing that seeped into her mind was how to get in. The silhouettes from above had grown darker signaling the coming of midnight approaching. There had been no wind blowing, yet the bushes and tree branches shook repeatedly as if there had been something climbing on them. She had also thought about how the head chief back in the caverns had let her go instead of burning her. Maybe, just maybe not everyone in the land of the dead is loyal to the evil witch. But there was still something to watch out for in this world.

"How do I get in here?" Grace put her left hoof on the Iron Gate to push. So far, it made a loud creak but didn't open.

"You won't be getting in here that easily!" the lock had spoken eerily making Grace almost jump out of her hide. With its eyes glowing red and its fangs drooling, Grace shivered like a leaf in the wind.

"B…but…I have to…to get in. I just have to," Grace stuttered as she spoke still shivering.

"State your business first outsider, and I shall let you through," the lock growled venomously as it slithered like a snake with the chain attached to it. Small amounts of fearful sweat poured down her head as Grace saw it lean down her position, which made her cower lower. She had to think of something fast before the lock lost its patience.

"Well you see my friends…are…are under the spell of the witch who rules your world and I was told that I needed to pass through here in order to talk to her about removing it…and sending us back to our world," Grace hoped that would be convincing enough, then again what else would she do to describe her quest?

"Proceed," the chains slipped off to allow an entrance. The gates opened slowly with a low creak. Inside there were statues of all shapes and sizes of different people and animals with writings at the bottom. Taking a deep breath, Grace walked in slowly already feeling uncomfortable with the evil presence around her.

"Unpleasant dreams," those were the last words from the lock as the gates closed in behind her with a loud click. Grace whirled around with a startled jump seeing that there is no way to turn back.

**

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**

_Inside_

Many of the tombstones seemed to be home to many supernatural forces lurking about; especially the one marble statue of a rider on top of a steed pointing his sword in the air above. He must have been a general from a war fought long ago. Grace walked down a sloping hill set with more marble statues of more frightening images such as the ones of wolves. Despite their frozen appearance, their faces had appeared to have their dreaded evil eyes upon her every move. The dead trees from around the tombstones were gnarled and contorted. But the most frightening thing of all was the sound of something moaning from somewhere afar in the distance. She turned left and right but saw nothing coming at her. But that didn't mean something wasn't after her. She hoped that she didn't disturb anyone's resting grounds by mistake. The incident from the Indian Burial Ground seemed to have taught her a good lesson about that.

"Huh, I wonder what's in there," Grace saw what looked similar to a small house a few feet from where she stood. What she didn't know was that it was actually a crypt with the possibility of a rotting corpse inside. Peering through a small window, the place inside had been infested with cobwebs and tiny harmless spiders crawling and dangling down. In the center, she saw lying on a stone table, a skeleton covered in raggedy torn clothes. The sight of it made her flinch and step back from the window. Better to leave that soul in peace than creep inside to find out more. Some things are better left alone for many good explainable reasons.

Grace walked down another hill and took another twisting path down another slope gazing at a couple more gravestones of the deceased. The frightening marble statues had given her more chills running down her spine. But the most peculiar thing that caught her eyes was an opened tomb on the ground! Grace peeked inside and saw nothing; not even a rotting corpse. Her body shriveled with fear as she stepped back still gazing at the opened tomb. Then, something else grabbed her from behind, by the bell from around her neck. Grace let out a piercing shriek when she came face to face with an ugly, grotesque melting face of a walking corpse in a tattered calico death shroud. It moaned with its foul breath and moved its fingers toward her face giving it a pinch.

"Ouch, stop that!" Grace gave the walking corpse a head butt in the chest sending it flying into another tombstone breaking to pieces. "Humph, see how you like that!" she said scornfully. Unfortunately the body may have been gone, but its limbs were now crawling toward her. Picking up the pace, Grace sped out of the area before the limbs had the chance to strangle her. But now something else grabbed her hind legs causing her to fall flat on the hallowed ground. She looked back in terror to gaze at two skeletal hands around her ankles from underneath a tombstone labeled Dead Eye George. Her fear had increased when a couple more walking corpses sprouted from their graves and were now crawling toward her. She was now too scared to fight back against the oncoming dead decayed moaning corpses with their bony hands reaching toward her face. All she could do was struggle with the bony grasps clutching her hind legs feeling the dead touch her tearful face.

But now she heard another different type of moan come from all of them. Opening one eye, she witnessed a strange figure in a black cloak raise its arms high in the air with the crack of lightening hurtling down its position. The zombies ceased what they were doing to Grace and walked toward the cloaked figure. Even the skeleton hands released her ankles and sank back into the dirt. She watched confusingly as the zombies kneeled down and bowed before the floating figure. The figure waved its arms around and pointed to each and every one of the tombstones. The zombies turned and went back to bury themselves in their resting places. Well at least that was over, for now.

"Thanks, but who are you?" Grace asked the floating figure. The cloak it wore covered its face making hard for her to make out what it was apparently. After the zombies had crept back, the figure flew toward Grace rapidly.

"I am the guardian of the graveyard. I roam each tombstone keeping an eye out for intruders such as YOU! The zombies you have encountered are the souls of newcomers who have fallen victim to whatever supernatural danger they witnessed at the time of their death. Here, some are transported to rest in their tombs unless wandering living souls were to stand before their graves. What is it you seek?" The figure spoke in a rumbling ferocious voice making Grace tremble.

"I only wish…to see…C…Callie," Grace stammered as the figure moved in closer to her.

"The witch who rules our world with tyranny; that cannot be done," the guardian replied with a low chuckle. "You do not possess the courage to stand before her minions. They are as stealth and cunning as she is."

"I don't care how evil she is!" Grace hollered at the guardian angrily. "I'm going to that mansion of hers to have a talk!" Still floating in midair, the guardian listened as she continued to shout. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have to get through!" The guardian let out a low growl like a vicious wolf in search of its prey. Grace's anger was soon replaced by fear when its faceless hood was close to her face breathing an icy atmosphere down on her. Its eyes glowed red. "Um…please?"

"NO, YOU SHALL NOT PASS BY ME!!" the figure moved in making Grace back up against a large tombstone and threw its skeletal hands around her neck. Grace could barely breathe as the grip tightened her vocal cords with her lungs screaming for air. She felt it all happening so fast with her legs kicking uselessly on the ground; the world was spinning wildly.

"EEEEEE!!" the guardian let out a high pitched scream as something light engulfed the two. At this moment, the creature released its grasps from the dairy cow's neck. Grace choked and slumped to the ground holding her neck to catch a few breaths. She was quite bewildered that the guardian released her like that, but was puzzled about what it was that made him squeal like that. After she recovered from the lack of air, she noticed that the light crystal was glowing in a strange way. She also noticed that the creature was covering itself as if it were afraid of the light. That's it; that's what made the creature stop hurting her. Now it was time to use it to get on out of here.

"Now let me pass!" she demanded holding up the light crystal. The guardian unable to fight back against the light could do no further harm and vanished in a puff of smoke. "Humph, serves him right for attacking me!"

**

* * *

**

_In a churchyard_

Grace continued to fight her way through the graveyard encountering a few more shadow creatures that lurked from behind the tombstones. Chief Thunder Cloud was right; the light crystal protected Grace from the powers of the shadow beasts. Even the statues that came to life were weakened by its glow. The young heifer took another twisting path down a hill until a she spotted what appeared to be some kind of stone building standing in an open field. Curiosity ran through her mind. Should she or shouldn't she go in there to have a look? According to the map, there was no other gate to exit out of besides the entrance from which she first entered. Perhaps the stone building might hold some answers inside.

"I just hope there are no more of those things to run away from," she muttered as she stood before the entrance of the building. She was now getting a little tired of running from everything she encountered. On top of the pillars, there stood a few stone gargoyles. From the looks of them all, their evil eyes seemed to be watching her every move. "Don't you dare come near me; I got a light here and I'm not afraid to use it!" she held the glowing crystal up hoping that the gargoyles wouldn't come near her at anytime. Although Grace did not like the idea of what would happen inside, she proceeded through the entrance unaware of a pair of red eyes staring at her from behind the building.

**

* * *

**

_Inside the building_

At first Grace was scared, but managed to pull through once she stood before another gate. With no lock or sign posted, she pushed them open, its rusted hinges creaked. The hallways flickered from the torches hung on the catacomb walls. There were tiny cobwebs with tiny spiders crawling about the place, which made Grace shiver due to her horrific encounter with the giant mother spider and her horrible ugly children. But if there were really anymore of those giant spiders, the webs would have been much larger than the ones sticking on the walls. The crackling of the torches had been the only single sound present in the stone hallways. It may have been an hour since Grace entered this place and it was now turning out to be a never ending maze.

"Hmm, maybe this is the way…NO!" Grace broke off when she came across yet another dead end. Grace looked around to find that she was alone in this frightening maze surrounded by catacomb walls. Despite the torches lighting the hallways, Grace began to feel the shadows moving in on her and worst of all, no one even knew where she was; not that they would even bother to help her out of here. But if someone did find her, then it may also mean the end of her life. The only things present in this area were zombies, stone statues and shadow creatures. Not only did Grace feel scared, but she felt herself ready to blow up like dynamite.

"I HATE THIS PLACE!!" she exploded in frustration, kicking a couple of cracked vases into the walls. All that was left of them were tiny chipped pieces. Grace slumped down against the walls in despair. How would she ever find herself out of this maze and be able to help her friends? Looks like she might as well wait for one of those supernatural beasts to find and suck out her life essence or whatever kind of evil they would do to her.

But just when the whole situation seemed forlorn, the sounds of humming could be heard from somewhere in the catacombs; humming as in a sort of melodic kind of way. If anyone else besides Grace heard it, they might have fallen under its harmonic tune. But Grace was more concerned about where it may be coming than she was about being enchanted by the humming. Although she was indeed tone deaf, she was filled with too much frustration and fear to think about what she thought of its tune. It sounded as if it were coming from a group of men somewhere within the catacomb walls. Grace pressed her head against them to listen for some more. She didn't notice a loose brick sticking halfway out until she placed her right hoof toward it. Surprisingly, the wall slid open like a lid, revealing a flight of stairs upward. The humming grew louder in this direction.

"I wonder who could be making that strange sound," breathed Grace as she climbed up the stairs. At the top of the steps there was another torch lit hallway, yet this time there were no turns left or right, just straight ahead. "At least I'm not pacing around in circles anymore." Grace moved straight listening as the humming grew more and more close to her floppy ears. There were some dried up old bones that littered parts of the floor along with a few squeaks possibly coming from mice or rats within the catacomb walls. Grace winced upon looking at them. There had better not be any more of those supernatural beasts lurking in the shadows. Now she knew why this place was called Shadow Cemetery.

It had been half an hour at the least before Grace came upon another stairway leading up. If her predictions were correct, then that must be where the singing came from; only one way to find out. Placing both her hooves on the stone ceiling, it slid open allowing yet another entrance into some unknown place. Grace could hear the humming very clearly this time. Climbing out of the hole, she gazed in wonder and enchantment at the place. There was a chandelier hanging above with each candle lit up. The windows were mixed with the brightest colors adding a glow of warmth to the stone walls. She wasn't alone in this place; she noticed a few strange figures wearing black cloaks standing around a table draped in red cloth. They must have been the ones humming that haunting tune. She watched as one of them poured a green liquid into each gold goblet in front of the figures. Picking them up, they raised the goblets in the air as a toast and drank the liquid down their throats in a sort of unpleasant slurp.

Grace was unsure of how to react to them. Should she even try to ask them for directions? What if they didn't like how she had managed to enter their place without permission, let alone disturb their tradition of some sorts? All she could do was walk toward the group slowly without making a sound. What was that green stuff they had been drinking? Knowing that she was never going to find a way out of here without even trying to ask, she cleared her throat in a mild manner.

"Um excuse me but…" the figures ceased singing and turned to where she stood.

"Aw, a visitor; have you come to join our group for a sip of some of this delightful zombie juice?" the hooded figure who had poured the green liquid in the first place asked humbly. Grace felt her stomach turn into a twisted knot after learning about what that stuff was. The hooded figure held aloft a golden bowl of zombie juice. Grace declined from joining, to talk about how she would be heading to Callie's mansion instead. The figures were really a group of monks who were expecting more visitors who entered the monastery (as what this place was) to join their cult in practicing a number of ceremonies in honor of the guardian of the graveyard. Grace never told them about her encounter with him, in fear of what they might think. But she did explain how she was unable to find her way out of the maze.

"Follow us through the catacomb walls. We know the way out and would be glad to help you." Grace followed the monks as they opened another passage in the walls.


	12. Haunted Stagecoach

**Chapter12: Haunted stagecoach**

_Outside the cemetery_

The monks lead Grace out of the monastery to the open trail. The sky was still covered in darkness with black clouds evaporating the stars along with a thick mist passing through. A few red eyes from somewhere in the dark forest blinked behind from the rustled bushes.

"If you want to go to Ghost Town, you must wait here for the phantom stagecoach. All of them travel there at nighttime." The monk leader advised Grace as the group stopped at a sign labeled _Stagecoach Stop_. Thanking them for their help out of the catacombs, the monks turned to head back to the monastery for preparations of another tradition.

"How far does that stagecoach often travel?" One of the monks asked curiously.

"They don't stop till they reach their destination; or unless an outlaw gang comes riding their path for a late night robbery," the head monk replied with a cold chuckle.

**

* * *

**

_Stagecoach Stop_

As Grace waited for a certain stagecoach to appear, second thoughts began to occur in her mind. Should she take the risk of riding some unknown stagecoach to appear? What if they only stop for dead people? Or what if it is one of those phantom travel destinations where they carry away certain victims to their doom? On the contrary, what kind of stagecoach would even stop to pick up a simple dairy cow on the trail?

"This world is sure like no other I've ever come across," Grace bit her lip nervously staring and listening to the wind blowing across the dead gnarled trees. For some reason however, she was beginning to get used to seeing ghosts around her. Some are scary at first, but that is because they liked to create all kinds of mischief. Grace did not want to show her fear even in this world, yet it was almost impossible. She had landed in so much supernatural trouble along the way a number of times and wondered if she should just walk all they way to Ghost Town or still take the stagecoach for a faster travel.

"I can't walk there on foot even if I wanted to," Grace said seriously. "By the time I reach that place it may be too late. And who knows what will become of my friends." She looked down sadly at her feet. What would become of her friends even after this is over? The witch might somehow trick her into accepting a bargain and yet her friends might still be lost eventually. But there was still no hope of turning back to Pumpkin Hollow to check up on them. Hopefully they were still alright in the den. She had to press forward and find out if Callie would be offering her a deal in exchange for her friends' protection.

Then there came a strange, low rumbling in the air; like the sounds of running feet on the ground breaking like thunder in the sky. The wind howled like a werewolf in the distance. Because of the wind blowing through her face, Grace could not see anything in the misty blackness, but guessed that it would be one of the stagecoaches mentioned by the monks. The orange moon disappeared behind the black clouds. For a moment, Grace wished she didn't have to travel on this stagecoach but then went back to focusing on her mission. She rubbed her head reminding herself to think of returning back home as soon as she somehow gets the witch to agree with her.

Suddenly, she could see four white apparitions of carriage horses rearing up on their hind legs with a wild whinny. Out of the dark came a shining brown stagecoach being pulled by the four phantom horses and stops beside Grace. The driver was a big man wearing denim pants, a long sleeve shirt, a leather vest, boots with spurs, a red bandanna around his neck, and a cowboy hat atop his head. His eyes remained hidden in the shadow of his hat.

"Headin' to Ghost Town?"

Grace nodded fearfully. The driver's voice seemed dark and ghastly. The driver could only smile. His teeth appeared to have a few gold spots twinkling. "Climb aboard," he said. The door opened slowly by itself. Grace climbed into the stagecoach and sat down to look out one of the small windows. The door closed swiftly and the stagecoach drove away.

**

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**

_On the trail_

Grace had never traveled inside a train wagon or a stagecoach before in her life since it was intended for people and not animals. But she felt rather safe being in here than outside. Because now she could hear the howling of the cold wind and the high sharp long cry belonging to a werewolf or coyote. Whichever one it was, she was smart enough to know that they were both vicious meat-eating carnivores. Grace began to sweat in hopes of making to Ghost Town alive without a scratch.

"Stay focused now. Think about your friends," she told herself with her eyes closed tightly. Surely there were not enough supernatural beasts out here to come chasing after some old stagecoach now, could there be?

"Never you mind them ol' hungry coyotes now," the driver spoke as if he had been reading her mind. "There ain't enough of them out here to form a pack and come chasin' after a four wheel stagecoach." He still kept his attention to the road as he talked to her. "We don't stop till we reach our destination."

That was a relief; not having to worry about the beasts out in the woods. Still, the red eyes blinking from behind the bushes made her edgy and nervous. She wondered what time it was now. It may as well still be a little after midnight or be close to the crack of dawn. But if it were dawn, then there might have been an orange light rising above the ground. Oh well, Grace didn't really care right now. She lowered herself on the soft cushioned seats for a nice long nap. In fact, she couldn't remember when the last time she fell asleep was.

Still sleeping, Grace wondered if she was still asleep or awake as she imagined being back at Patch of Heaven smelling bluebonnets out in the field with her friends safe and sound. Sleepily she tried to remember the times and stage of her journey, but her memory was tired, drowsy, and uncertain. Especially since she didn't get enough sleep from the start of traveling. The stagecoach kept on going without a halt, riding through lofty hills, sleeping towns, other stagecoach stop signs, dark forests, and distant prairies. She had wondered if Maggie and Mrs. Calloway were still in the den under that sleeping curse she couldn't wake them up from. Or what if something worse happened to them; something she didn't want to know. Grace did not awaken until there came a couple bangs and gunshots from somewhere.

"What, what was that?" Grace rose up in a fright. One of the things she and her friends feared was loud noises from gunshots and thundering hooves coming from below the ground.

"Looks like we got trouble comin' our way!" the rider answered as he struggled to keep the reins steady.

"Trouble, what do you…?" BANG BANG! Grace was cut off by another gunshot in the air. Perhaps the sound of gunshots happening possibly by a bandit would answer her question. Grace ducked down below the cushioned seats shaking with fright. This situation was getting out of hand already. She could feel the stagecoach swing in a curve and then crash up into something hard. The force of the crash caused her to hit the side of the seats with a painful thud. Too scared to look out, she backed up into the corner. She could hear the rider yelling angrily at whoever caused them to crash. But the next things that came after that were a couple of punches and blows. Grace opened one eye to see that the small door had been torn open slightly by a strange man in a black trench coat, shotgun chaps, black gloves, a gun holster, and a black cowboy hat. His eyes gleamed red and half his face was covered in a black bandanna. He reached out and grabbed Grace by the bell to pull her out of the stagecoach. She was thrown next to the rider sitting beside the tree where the stagecoach crashed into.

"Look here boys, we got ourselves a rider and a bovine!" A bandit shouted menacingly. The two victims had been chased by four black riders. It was hard to see their faces due to the fact that everything on them was black. Only their gleaming red eyes stared out from behind their black bandannas. Whether they were alive or dead didn't matter to her. But what could they want?

For a moment, Grace sat frozen by the sight of their appearance. But as soon as she regained her wits, she sat up to charge into one of them. However to her surprise, she actually went right through him as if he were never there. She didn't understand it.

"Ye ain't ever gonna touch us bovine!" the man whom she ran through croaked with mocking laughter as he walked toward Grace to seize her by her blond hair and dragged her back to the tree. "But we can touch you!" The stagecoach rider sat on his knees with his hands placed on his thighs. Grace knew she was defenseless and at the mercy of ghostly bandits.

"Ye don't look like yer from around here aren't ye?" One of them leaned down to Grace and frowned suspiciously. In his right gloved hand, he held a revolver. Grace felt the cold metal steel being placed underneath her chin as the black rider used his revolver to force her head up. "Yer full of flesh n' blood still. No wonder ye can't touch us." His red eyes then caught sight of the glimmering sparkling light crystal around the dairy cow's neck. "I think I'll take this if ye don't mind me doin' so." He snatched it off with a snap.

"Hey wait a minute I…" Grace never got to finish as the man whipped her so her back slammed against the tree. He then seized Grace by the throat in a strong agonizing grip.

"Listen here bovine!" he snarled as he tightened his grip. "Don't even try to be a hero, cause in this town, we run things here. That means no law is gonna stop us from doin' what we want."

"Let her go!" The rider called out.

"Silence two-timer!"

The rider was being held back by the other three bandits. He knew something about Ghost Town that Grace didn't know yet. He could see that her face seemed to be turning pink from the strong grip.

"Yer a mighty purty thing to see, but yer still a weak pathetic newcomer. Ye couldn't put up a fight even if ye wanted to." Grace could feel her head fill with a fiery mix of anger and fear of being strangled. His grip was more powerful and stronger than the guardian of the graveyard. She struggled for air as he kept his tight grip on her throat. "If ye ever try to put a stop to any crime in town, Callie will send ye to an untimely fate worse than death. She's the law of this town and this world; and if ye try to follow us, yer as good as dead, GOT IT!!" Grace could only nod in response to his threat.

"Good!" He said, releasing her neck and rudely slamming her against the tree. Grace coughed and gasped violently after falling on the ground. Lifting herself up, Grace could see that he swung the light crystal in his left hand like a gold watch on a small chain. She was about to protest again until the black rider repeated his threat.

"What did I just tell ye bovine?" he sneered dangerously forcing her to back up against the tree, pointing his finger at her chest. "I said DON'T…BE...A…HERO!" He poked her three more times at the last four words as Grace cringed from hearing him say it. The black riders mounted their spectral horses and galloped off.

"I'd be careful if I were you," the rider walked to help her back on her feet. "The only law in this world is the witch."

"You mean to tell me that there are no lawmen or bounty hunters here to handle thieves like them?" Grace almost couldn't believe what she heard from the rider. That couldn't be possible. The rider shook his head convincingly.

"In this world, heroism is against the law. We either do what Callie orders us to do or else suffer the consequences. And it looks like my stagecoach will take days to repair. You better get on goin'; you don't want the witch catchin' you helpin' me." Grace looked at the stagecoach to find the left side a complete wreck. There was not much she could do to help him since she didn't know anything about how to fix wheels.

"But I can't travel back there on foot. It would take forever."

"You don't have to worry about that, you know why?"

"Why?"

"Because it's straight ahead, see." The rider pointed in the middle of the trail. There it stood, Ghost Town. She was almost near the end of her destination after all. But her quest was far from over.


	13. Evils of Ghost Town

**Chapter13: Evils of Ghost Town**

"But why would a witch like Callie want to make such a ridiculous law forbidding heroism?" Grace asked the stagecoach rider curiously as he still administered the wreck in his wheel.

"I don't know; it's just the way things are here," The rider scoffed trying to get his spectral horses together. "Now if you excuse me, I still have a job to do, now run along unless you wanna take the risk of attractin' Callie's attention." He shooed Grace away to allow her to go about her business. Helping one another in a big way counted as an act of heroism and the rider did not want anything to do with that. Grace sighed and went on her way. She didn't have time for any of this anyway. She had her own problems to solve; if it was even possible to do so. She didn't need her light crystal anymore now that she was close to Ghost Town.

**

* * *

**

_Meanwhile elsewhere_

"My Mistress, it appears that she has somehow made it through the perilous journey and is somewhere in town," Millicent bowed before her Mistress whose form was completely covered in darkness.

"She is more strong-willed than I thought. Yet she is still a considered a pest. See if you can find her; and if she commits an act of heroism in any way, bring her in!"

"Consider it done my Mistress." The witch left in a puff of smoke.

"So that wispy little brat still believes she can reason with me eh? And she seems the type to not abide by my laws and rules in this world. No matter what, she'll never see her home or her friends again." The Mistress laughed menacingly in the darkness of her lair.

**

* * *

**

_In town_

Ghost Town was not only frightening but it turned out to be the most violent and evil supernatural place Grace had ever visited. People who passed by would often push and shove without stopping to say "excuse me." There were brawls and fights on the street and in every building. Thievery and gun shots occurred from every cowpoke on the street. The stagecoach rider's words proved true; there was not a single sheriff or lawmen to settle everything. As she treaded through the dirt road, almost every citizen she passed stopped what they were doing to stare and point at her.

"Ain't that a real live cow passin' by? She should be dead like us," a bearded prospector pointed out.

"If that is a live cow, she sure is skinny and weak," a woman replied harshly.

"No other newcomer in this world stays alive for that long to make it all the way here. Has she come here to seek her own death?"

"I doubt she'll be welcomed in this town so long as she lives."

"Hey watch it Blondie!" a spectral coal miner rudely shoved Grace aside. Grace looked back with a sour expression. Even if this place is lawless, she knew that these people still had no right to do what that guy did. If only heroism wasn't illegal, then she would have given him a pretty good lesson about manners. She had no clue how long she would put up with these crude townsfolk. Everywhere she looked, there was either someone being bullied, robbed, yet no one had the guts (if they had any left in their bodies) to put a stop to it of course. Well, she couldn't really blame the victims since she might as well believe that the witch had the power over all of them. And who knows what other kind of dark magic spells she possessed. Handling outlaws in the land of the living was one thing for her and her friends, but witches are something else.

"Hey!" Grace shouted out as she was once again shoved aside by a male citizen in a gray torn suit. Irritated she was, but what could she do? She didn't look where she was going until she bumped into someone.

"Hey what the…oh it's ye again!" A cruel cold voice blurted. Grace stared with her eyes wide open horror stricken. She had just bumped into the same four evil outlaws who had robbed her of her light crystal. Wait a minute; didn't she just pass through one of them when she tried to attack? If so then how could she bump into them when she couldn't touch them herself?

"We thought we told ye to stay outta our sight bovine!" The outlaw she had bumped into leaned down her position with his angry red eyes gleaming madly. Grace backed away slowly feeling frightened. "Have ye come back for yer precious little crystal?" He dug in his vest pocket to take out the light crystal swinging it in front of her face.

"If you were smart enough…" Grace spoke in strict high tone, "…you would know that stealing from someone else is a serious federal offense. In other words, if you were still alive in my world, you'd be nothing but jailbirds behind bars! Me and my friends can handle you the way we took care of a cattle rustler and his stupid goons! Even if crime is allowed here, what you're doing is still wrong and dangerous!" Grace breathed heavily with an irritated expression on her face. Her shouting had attracted attention from a few citizens walking by. They stared as if she were completely out of her mind. Some of them snickered as they went on their way. The four outlaws were astonished by her foolish heroic words. How dare she speak to them in that tone of voice like that? That comment had cost her.

"So ye think yer purty smart DONTCHA!" It happened so quickly; Grace was grabbed roughly by the bell and lifted off the ground by the other three to be carried over to a trough filled with orange slime.

"No wait, I can…" too late. She was thrown aside into the trough covered in slime. Grace lifted her soaked head and shook off the remaining sticky substance. She even had to spit a few times when minimal drops entered her mouth. It almost tasted like a similar type of fruit or veggie, but it may have still been dirty. When she viewed the gang surround her, she had a bad feeling that her troubles in this town were just beginning. Her fears had increased in her body as they kept staring at her with their terrifying eyes.

"Now listen closely!" One of the outlaws seized Grace by her blond hair, forcing her head to move closer to his face so that her eyes were glaring at his. "We don't take kindly to weak intolerant loud-mouthed ruffians such as you. Like I said before, only crime runs this town, and there is nothin' ye or anybody can do to stop it; not while yer under Callie's commands. Just remember, there ain't no place to run or hide; those witches will be huntin' ye down till yer theirs. So what're ye gonna do about it?"

Grace tried to free herself, yet his grip were as tight as before. "I'm…going to…help my friends tonight." That was all she could think of as she still tried to break free of his grasp. The four outlaws looked at each other blankly. Why wouldn't this bovine give in to their threat?

"Why won't ye admit that yer weak?" The bandit released her head by slamming it back into the orange slime as rough as he could. For a moment he buried her head down to see what would happen. Grace spit and coughed out the orange slime onto the ground. From the looks of it, it seems she was not about to give in to them anytime soon no matter what they did. To Grace, she believed they were only taunting her with whatever evil deed to try and break her spirits.

"You're the ones who are weak minded and stupid!" she blurted out while still soaked in the slime. "You think that just because you're phantasmal and possess incredible strength, that it makes you stronger in picking on those weaker than you are. Well it doesn't; it just proves that you're nothing but _cowards_!"

She picked herself up and kicked the trough of slime on them in order to make an escape. None of them noticed her pacing past them to rush inside a small building with a sign labeled _Undertaker_ hanging above the front doors.

"Alright Blackheart Bill, Heartless Henry, and Toothless Tim; it seems we got ourselves a trouble maker in this town. And if we don't find and stop her, Callie will be furious!" The leader squeezed the last bits of slime off his black hat and placed it back atop his head. "No mortal ever messes with me, Cliff Cleaver!" His eyes lit up like exploding candles. The other three followed behind him armed with pistols. The reason why Grace didn't touch them when she tried to attack was because of a ghostly magic trick. Ghosts are capable of doing whatever mischief they desire to cause. Yet other reasons remain unknown.

**

* * *

**

_In the undertaker building_

Grace was feeling scared as ever. Her heart began pounding loudly in her chest and she breathed heavily. She struggled to find a place to hide from those wicked bandits. Despite those being weak minded and cowardly, she knew that she was still no match for their macho or absolute power. Should she go up or down? Any one of them might have been a death defying choice, but she had to think fast because of the echo of footsteps approaching the wooden porch from outside. Quickly, she headed to the door leading somewhere downstairs.

Grace went down and down heading to a room deep below the ground. The air felt cold and damp and bats flew above her in the dark. She tried not to scream when a few of the winged rodents flew past her head. Downstairs there was room full of wooden boxes. She hoped those things weren't what she thought they might be. The floor was made of dirt from the earth. Some of the boxes had been filled with earth. It was hard for her to see what else was down here without the help of her light crystal.

"Down there, I think she went down there!" The voice of the bandits could be heard upstairs. Grace ran to the darkest corner and looked for a place to hide. She was panicking and scared, so she just hid in one of the wooden boxes sitting next to her, just barely missing the bandits' sight possibly. She listened as the footsteps grew nearer and nearer. Worse yet, she could hear the creak of wooden boxes being opened and any minute, her hiding place would be next. It was hard for her to keep her pounding heart steady and soft while sweat had been oozing down her forehead.

"Why would she be hidin' down here when she could be upstairs or somewhere else in town?" she heard one of them whisper dangerously.

"Alright, let's split up; you check the theatre, you check the hardware store, you check the hotel, and I'll check the general store; she won't get away that easy." Grace felt a sharp kick against the wooden box she hid in still. She waited until their footsteps fell softer every minute. And if it was completely silent then that would be her signal to escape.

"I hope I don't run into them for a long while," Grace whispered, dusting herself off from the earth in the wooden box. She began to rise out when something bony touched her shoulder blades and pulled her back lower. "OW, let me go!" Then the bony hand touched her chin to force her eyes to stare directly into the empty eye sockets of a dried up skeleton with no skin!

"Come to join us in eternal slumber?" the skeleton spoke in a dry hoarse voice.

"AAAWWWW!!" Grace screamed in utter terror and threw the dirt in the skeletons face. It shrieked and threw it hands to its face. Grace jumped out of the wooden box and back up the stairs after she saw the other boxes opening to reveal skeletal hands poking out. Those weren't just any boxes; they were coffins for the recently deceased.

**

* * *

**

_Outside_

"Now where do I hide?" Grace said panicking looking left and right. Those bandits could be hiding anywhere in town. But if she stood where she was any longer, it is likely that she will be dead meat. Her mind filled with more panicked thoughts as people kept pushing and shoving her aside calling her all sorts of rude names. She gazed at a building called Snake Eye Saloon. It didn't seem safe, but she had to hide somewhere. Picking up the pace, she flew through the swinging doors. Inside the saloon, there were arguments over who had been cheating at poker, brawls, and drunken zombified cowpokes yelling at the top of their lungs (if they had any). The glass bottles they drank from were actually labeled pumpkin beers. There were many different strange names for liquor such as batwing, vines snap, wolf claws, spider silk, zombie juice, gator scales, and snake venom. Even as they drank, the liquid could be seen running down their skinless bony torsos.

Not wanting to bother with any of them, she went to where the liquor bottles were placed on the other side. There were still a few questions she needed answered. She saw what looked like a woman wearing a purple dancing dress with a feathered head bang and a choker rummaging through a few cabinets.

"Excuse me, I was wondering if you…"

"Now what in carnation is this?" the saloon manager interrupted sourly slamming the cabinets closed. She was a rotting corpse with green skin, bony hands, yellow eyes, but without a nose. "Here I am working' for all eternity in this hell-hole and some wanderin' livin' outsider comes askin' for a favor?"

"Actually it's about…"

"What do you want outsider; pumpkin beer, a game of poker, or a stage dance?" The saloon manager waved her arms madly in irritation. For anybody who would be forced to work for all eternity in a place at the time of their death would be grouchy too and possibly mad.

"I was wondering if you could tell me about Callie," Grace answered hesitantly. The manager gasped in shock as did the rest of the citizens in the saloon turning to her. The sight of them staring made Grace feel uneasy. Did she just say something she wasn't supposed to have said in public? She had almost forgotten about that.

"Did she just say what I thought she said?" a cowpoke turned from playing poker.

"No she didn't say it at all, she meant to say Cassie; yeah that's right, my cousin Cassidy" the manager clapped her hands over Grace's mouth to keep her from mentioning the name in front of them. She then flipped her over the wooden plank for a private chat.

"Don't you ever be mentionin' that name in public again! There are some of us who don't like how she is running' things here, but there ain't nothin' anybody can do. Her powers are much too great for us and for you, so I suggest you leave town."

"No, I have to see her. She's the one responsible for putting my friends under a sleep spell and I'm willing to take the risk of whatever spell she casts over me," Grace whispered back. "Tell me something, how can she create such a ridiculous law forbidding heroism?"

"The manager sighed in defeat. Even her words of advice would not change the heifer's mind. "From what I know, Callie cannot stand the thought of one day becomin' overthrown by whatever force of goodness might enter this world or what might pose a threat to her. That has never happened before, but Callie will do anything to make sure it never does; even if it means robbin' everyone of us of our free will. She's the kind of witch who enjoys seein' all of us suffer through her tyranny. It's just the way things are here."

"That's terrible!" Grace was stunned to hear that the witch would create such a law also proving as another act of cowardice. Still Grace was determined to make it to the mansion, even if it meant losing her own free will. Which was more important, her friend's lives or what? Grace was now confused with how to handle the situation.

The two heard the doors swing open wildly. The same four red eyed bandits entered the saloon demanding to know about the whereabouts of a bovine walking through town. Nobody paid any attention to their threat until the name Callie was mentioned. "We got word from the witches that this bovine is wanderin' round town commitin' all sorts of heroic acts in violation of Callie's law. All we have to do is bring her in and she won't be a problem."

"Just what we need, the Red-Eye gang," the manager whispered to Grace, "Stay here." She hopped over the plank to see if she could deal with them herself. "Well if it ain't the Red-Eye gang lookin' for more trouble. What else would ya'll want with a simple livin' bovine besides hand it over to the witch?" The manager threw her hands on her hips trying to act as tough as she could. The ghostly bandits were not the least bit frightened of her appearance.

"She has been warned several times to stay outta our site after we was robbin' the stagecoach she used to travel here. It turned out that she didn't listen to us; so we just wanna make sure she stays outta the way for good!" The leader Cliff Cleaver turned his attention to the wooden plank where the other liquor bottles were.

"What're ye hidin' back there miss?" he asked suspiciously walking over there.

"You can't walk on over there, only staff members are allowed!" the woman protested, but was held back by the other three. She watched the gang leader hop over the plank with his pistol in hand.

Grace thought quickly in the farthest corner; it was now or never. If she wanted to see the witch that bad, then she would have to commit the act of heroism. "Come and get me!" she shouted, heading for the stairs leading up. Cliff only chuckled when he saw her do so.

"Bovine, ye just headed into a trap!" He followed her up with the gang behind him. However, when they got upstairs, the window had been opened with the wind blowing in. Cliff threw his pistol on the floor in rage. "Darn that annoyin' cow pie!" he hollered with his feet stomping. "She'll pay for this!"

"She couldn't have gone far, maybe she's back out on the street," Blackheart Bill looked at the window, but he could not see her running anywhere. While they were all looking at the window for her, something moved under the bed. It was Grace poking her head out from under the covers. The bandits had crawled out of the window one by one to check and see if she had made it to the roof. Her plan turned out to be a great distraction. Hopefully it would be enough to keep them away from her for now anyways.

**

* * *

**

_Downstairs_

Going downstairs, Grace saw that the citizens in the bar had been staring at her completely cross-eyed. Even she had an idea what what they were thinking.

"Wait let me guess, I'm in trouble for committing an act of heroism am I right? She said sarcastically. She narrowed her eyes at them.

"Right you are my pretty," an old cackling voice answered her. A witch in dark robes with a pointed black hat and black shoes appeared before her in a puff of smoke cloud. Her skin was green, she had claws for fingers, her mouth had only three or seven teeth, her hair was white and shaggy, and she had a wart on her nose and chin. Grace shivered with fright as she stepped back slowly without noticing the Red-Eye gang behind her.

"Thought ye could outsmart us didn't ye?" Cliff taunted, pushing her forward. There was nowhere for Grace to escape as two more witches with the same appearance appeared beside the first witch. They all smiled wickedly.

"Time to go see the Mistress."


	14. The face of Callie

**Chapter14: The face of Callie**

_In the streets_

"So I hear that you were the one causing trouble in this town," the witch Mildred who was in control of the black coach cocked at Grace. The young dairy cow sat in the darkness of the black coach in both sorrow and fear with her neck and front ankles shackled. She felt more like a dangerous animal being sent to a place where she could be put out of her misery as the other two witches inside Ramada and Hazel watched over her. She turned away to the corner unable to bear seeing those horrid ugly faces staring at her shivering body. "You really shouldn't have done that you know; there are strict laws against what happened back there in the saloon," Mildred wagged her finger at Grace.

"Have you any idea what might have happened if our Mistress found out about your acts of heroism?" Ramada joined in, tugging on her neck chain. "She might've turned you into some kind of grotesque walking terror, if she is ever displeased of course. Or turn you into her slave!" her cackle sent shivers down Grace's spine. Grace was too afraid to look back at them and kept her gaze at the dark corner of the moving coach. How can she defend herself against foes more powerful than her? She possessed nothing but her strong spirit, but even that seemed useless in this situation.

Grace blanched as she heard citizens outside gossiping with the coach still moving along the dusty highway. She could tell the gossip was shocked and unpleasant words.

"I knew that wanderin' bovine was trouble the moment she entered Ghost Town, and now she is being carried off to her doom."

"That's life for all of us. None of us is ever safe from Callie's wrath. Poor ruffian should have thought twice and now she's in for it."

"I wonder what spell she'll use on her."

How was she going to reason with the witch if she is a prisoner? It was just like Minerva had predicted; she would be hunted down by Callie's minions and become a prisoner in her deep dark lair. At this point, she was too frightened to even sing, in fear of what dark spell they might wave over her.

"AW look, the poor dear is scared to death," Ramada taunted, pointing her bony green finger at the shivering Grace.

"Well not as scared as she will be soon enough," Hazel added with a cunning smirk across her age old face. Grace still kept her gaze on the other side refusing to look back at them for even a moment. The two witches stared at her grimly. For them, this particular outsider didn't seem to pose much of a threat, but it was still their job to bring in prisoners to their Mistress. "Looks like we scared her too well if you know what I mean; guess we're too good. She won't even speak or turn." She cackled lightly.

Ramada on the other hand was a little vexed from not being spoken to. She pulled firmly on the chain attached to the shackle on Grace's neck forcing her away from the dark corner. Grace found herself staring directly face to face into the evil eyes of the gruesome witch.

"We got our eye on you, troublemaker!" Ramada hissed through her gritted yellow teeth. With both hands firmly on the neck chain, she tugged harder to move Grace closer to her ugly face. "Whatever heroic act you're thinking, don't count on it to save your soul!" She threw Grace back over to the dark corner and held on to the end of the neck chain. Grace went back to face the other side away from them quivering more. Was going to see the witch ever a good idea from the beginning?

"Enough now back there," Mildred croaked. "We'll be at the Mistress's mansion pretty soon now; and she wants the prisoner brought to her alive and unharmed." The black coach was being pulled by skeletal structures of horses. The witches spoke no more for the rest of the trip. Ramada moved closer to Grace and whispered something in her ear.

"You're as good as dead," she laughed through her nose cruelly. Grace shivered feeling more scared than brave with going to see Callie. She couldn't help herself; it was hard to be brave sometimes, even in the world of the supernatural. Everyone here is dead and she is the only one still alive.

**

* * *

**

_On a hilltop_

Bolts of lightening struck in the dark reddish clouds above a gristly mansion. The mansion was designed in a Victorian style way, although the appearance loomed black and tall casting a grave deathly shadow below the ground. This house of evil was surrounded by a wrought iron gate overgrown with thorny vines reaching out to anyone who approached them unexpectedly. Creatures such as vultures encircled the mansion as if they were hovering above prey. Their faces were sinister and their eyes were red as blood. None but the wicked tread through here and for those who dared to venture the forbidden place, there would be no going back.

The black coach treaded upward on the winding hill until it came to a stop in front of the vine covered entrance gates.

"Open up, we have important business to attend to!" Mildred commanded as the vines slipped off the gates to allow the black coach to enter. It rode on until it came to a stop in front of the mansion.

"Come on out now," Ramada tugged on the neck chain to force Grace out of the black coach. Grace obeyed without resisting knowing that it was no use trying to fight back against them. Hazel stood next to her with a long stick in her left hand. Grace guessed she was holding a wand as she remembered something like that mentioned in the campfire tales. An object no living mortal should ever mess with without the knowledge of knowing how to control its powers.

"Huh!!" Grace gasped at the sight of the enormous dark mansion. The roofs above it looked as if they were touching the reddish clouds. Vultures still circled the sky while a few sat on the roof watching down on her and the witches. A crack of lightening bolted through the clouds. Either this was strange weather happening or else Callie was conjuring up some dark spell to bring forth dead souls from other worlds. Grace began to pull back on her neck chain hesitantly.

"There is no escape little cow!" Ramada held on to the chain while Grace had been resisting. A bolt of green lightening shot out of Mildred's fingers and struck Grace square in the chest. In a moment, the dairy cow looked completely petrified and stoned as if her brain had been removed from her head. Her eyes did not move or wink. Her expression was completely blank as her body stirred slowly. Grace almost looked like the walking undead.

"There that's much better," Mildred muttered, turning to the doors to wave her hands. They opened slowly.

"What kind of spell did you use?" asked Hazel whilst scratching her chin.

"The Stun spell of course," answered Mildred cockily. "It causes the victim to not only slow down but to obey mindlessly. The spell will fade once we get her inside," she motioned her arms forward.

"Move it along!" Hazel demanded slamming her wand onto Grace's back which left an open cut. But Grace did not holler or wince as she moved inside.

**

* * *

**

_Inside_

The inside of the mansion had many dark empty halls and grand rooms; although the ceilings above were partially littered with cobwebs. Some age old paintings of past witches hung on the walls. Some of them had eyes moving and watching as the witches passed by with Grace following behind whilst still under the Stun spell. They entered a long dark hallway that seemed almost endless. But they finally reached the end when a stoned gargoyle with batwings sitting on a small pillar stood before them.

"Going down," Mildred cocked, pulling down on the head of the gargoyle. The wall opened to reveal a passageway and a narrow stone staircase leading down. Grace was pushed in before the passage would revert back to a normal hallway. Flaming torches hung on the stone walls enlightening through the darkness. The witches lead her deep downward into the darkness. At last, they came to a room full of earth. It was filled with many barred cells. In a few moments, Grace would snap out of her trance and find herself locked up in the dungeon.

"In here now," Mildred opened up one of the cell doors to allow the other two to push Grace in and attach her neck chain to the stone wall. The witches moved out of the cell and locked her in to see if she would wake up.

"Huh, what is this place?" Grace had snapped out of her trance and discovered that she was in a different place filled with iron bars. She turned to see the witches standing on the other side smirking cunningly. "What happened, where am I? What did you do?" she asked panicking.

"There's nothing good like a small dose of the Stun spell to keep you under control," Mildred replied with her hands on the bars. "The Mistress will see you shortly, until then you're trapped down here!" Her cackle caused an intense fury in Grace. She attempted to ram into the cell walls but had forgotten that she was being held back by the neck chain. She fell on the floor after being yanked back placing her hooves on her neck which was in intense pain. "Oops sorry, didn't I mention that those chains will only come off by the click of a key? See you in a while," The witches exited out of the dungeon chatting with each other.

"YOU WITCHES WON'T GET AWAY WITH THIS, YOU HEAR ME!!" Grace hollered as loud as she could. Her outburst echoed throughout the dungeon. Heaving a sad sigh, she walked slowly to the corner and sat miserably. So far, she managed to make it through all those perils that had happened on her journey miraculously. Yet here she was now in Callie's dungeon which was cold, dark, and dirty. Even the sound of bats flying about could be heard. It seems that all prisoners brought here had never escaped; and the only way out of here was to accept whatever sentence they were given. Grace did not want that to happen as she grunted loudly struggling at the chains attached to her neck and front ankles. It was no use; she needed a key to open them and one of the witches has it. She went back to the corner sadly with her chains rattling behind. As she tried to sit down again, she winced from feeling something painful on her back. Turning her head around, she was shocked to find a red sore on her hide. If only she could reach forward and kiss it before it became infected. Tears of fear welled up in her eyes as she leaned her head against the stone wall. This meeting plan with the witch was not going well at all.

**

* * *

**

_One hour later_

The cell door in which Grace was being kept in opened. Grace had wakened from a small nap and turned to see Mildred standing above her.

"It is time my pretty. The Mistress awaits."

Mildred took the neck chain off the wall and tugged on it to make her move. Grace winced as she did so still feeling the pain from last time.

"Come on, we don't have all night," Grace stumbled as she was pulled forward to be lead back up the stone stairway and into the hallway of the mansion. She kept her eyes on the floor whilst still being pulled forward not wanting to look at the frightening eerie images on the paintings hanging from the walls.

Mildred tapped her wand twice on a set of wooden stairs to reveal another torch lit room opening before them. The walls were covered in the strangest sort of writings and symbols more peculiar than what Grace saw on the cavern walls in the Indian burial ground. But the most eerie thing of all was the sight of skeletons lined propped against the wall. She mumbled fearfully.

"My Mistress, the prisoner is here," Mildred had called out to someone. They had just entered an open area similar to an arena of some sorts. Before them stood a stone chair with huge demon-like wings placed atop, between two stone pillars with flames burning above them.

"So you've come at last outsider," a voice had spoken eerily from behind the stone chair. It was hard for Grace to see because it seemed that the chair faced the other way. "And you've come for a bargain?"

"Y…yes…I…I have," Grace stammered feeling scared. "You see…me…I…was told you…"

"DON'T STUTTER LIKE THAT OUTSIDER!!" the voice exploded angrily. "I make no bargain with anyone like you. Because I am the law of this world and I do not approve of pests in my domain." The chair began to rotate slowly to reveal an appearance shocking and deceiving to Grace. She gasped in horror staring with her eyes wide open. The witch laughed cunningly. "Don't worry; not everything is what it seems."

"Mrs. Calloway!"


	15. A Sinister Confession

**Chapter15: A Sinister Confession**

_Callie's Lair_

"Mrs. Calloway is that you; why are you dressed like that?" Grace was at a loss for words. She didn't know whether or not to believe that this really was her or if the witch was playing some kind of nasty trick. "I was afraid you'd never wake up, but where is Maggie?"

"Fool, I'm not who you think I am!" said the fake Mrs. C with a savage smile still sitting atop that frightening throne. Her face looked like the proper cow except that her expression was more cruel and sinister. Her eyes flashed red, she wore no purple bonnet on her head, she wore a black cape similar to a vampire's covering her entire body, her back had a hunch, and her hooves were black, shiny, a pointed like monster claws. "I'm Callie, and this is a form I'm borrowing briefly, if you don't mind of course. I've seen how you weren't able to wake up your friends in the pumpkin field. I must admit that I'm deeply disappointed that those pumpkins failed to finish you off. But now I'm impressed you made it this far only because of your brave effort. Tell me my dear, how do you manage it?" she sneered.

"Wha…what's going on?" Grace was now more confused than ever. But then the words of Chief Thunder Cloud rang in her memory: _She can take on any form and may be waiting for you in a form you do not wish to see_. Grace swallowed her pride and gathered her courage. "Wait a minute, I know what I came here for, I came to ask you to remove the spell from my friends and send us BACK HOME NOW!!"

Callie stood there with her mouth wide open for a moment from the way she was spoken to in that kind of tone. She let out a deep growl as her eyes flashed furiously. As Callie motioned her right hoof backward, Grace witnessed the chains disappear from her and then pulled forward by a force unseen until she was standing in front of the witch.

"How DARE you use that TONE on me!!" Callie screamed as she rose up from her throne chair to bend down and meet Grace's face with her snout pressing against hers firmly. "I told YOU that I am the LAW of this world here! And YOU will not speak to me unless spoken to or use smart remarks; and you will refer to me as Mistress, UNDERSTAND!!" Grace shivered when she realized how big Callie was unlike the real Mrs. Calloway. "DO YOU UNDERSTAND?!" Grace nodded with a solid whimper. Even in this form, she could not argue back or think of any other way to reason with her without making her angry. She had never argued with Mrs. C before because of her proper motherly personality. However, the appearance she was staring was nothing compared to the real Mrs. C and by now she knew better. But why would she want to take this form? Then Callie became strangely calm and cleared her throat.

"I guess you're wondering why I'm like this I suppose," she spoke softly, sitting back on her throne. "Well then, why don't we discuss this over the dinner table?" she smirked and turned to where Mildred still stood.

"The dining room if you will," Callie ordered.

"Yes my Mistress," Mildred bowed before she found Grace trying to make a run for it.

"STOP HER!"

Bolts of lightening shot out of Mildred's fingers; the bovine was once again petrified by the Stun spell when she had barely made it to the passageway up.

"Now take her upstairs!" the witch lead Grace up to the dining hall of the mansion.

**

* * *

**

_The dining hall_

Grace awoke to see she was in a dark fanciful room lit by candles on two chandeliers hanging above a long wide table sitting before her. It was set with the finest china and candle bras. She was seated at one end while she believed that Callie would be sitting at the opposite end, wherever she was of course.

"I'm thinking this might be the dining hall," she whispered to herself fearfully. "Well I am not going to stay here any longer in a place of pure evil; I'm out of here," She prepared to rise up and leave but was taken aback when she found that she was yanked back by something strong. Her neck was once again shackled with a long chain attached to the table in front of her. The chain rattled whenever she pulled on it, but couldn't break free. Grace sat back down feeling hopeless.

WHAM! The doors to the dining room opened revealing Callie walking in with four witches following behind her.

"Well, glad to see that you're awake my dear," she murmured as she sat at the opposite end of the long table. "Oh and forgive me for having my minions chain you like that; I just couldn't risk having you trying to make another escape now could I," she replied with a wicked grin.

Grace looked down on her shackle and didn't like what was about to happen. She only wanted to go home and be with her family instead of having to deal with this imposter pretending to be an evil version of Mrs. Calloway. But why was she being tormented like this? Grace shivered and tried to forbid those tears that welled up in her eyes.

"Care for some refreshment?" she asked in the voice of a serving bartender. A liquor bottle floated off from a shelf above a fancy fireplace next to Grace. The cork opened by itself to pour red wine into a wine glass. Grace looked at the bottle with a puzzled expression; cows like her shouldn't be given wine, yet it was being served to her anyway. "Wet your throat with a drop of this clear red wine, and I'll tell you about what happened to your friends," Callie had already swallowed down her wine.

Still gazing at the glass with the wine in it; Grace pulled it toward her and dipped her tongue in. She cringed and frowned at its sour taste. But when she saw a terrible expression on Callie's face, she took the glass and drank it down, though it was still sour and unsatisfactory.

"Feeling better?" Callie asked furrowing her brow. Grace nodded while still trying to swallow the last few drops swelling in her mouth. After swallowing, she coughed and sputtered. "I thought you would like it," the Mistress gave her an unkind smile. "Now where were we? Ah yes, I believe you came here in a request to awaken your friends from the slumbering spell, is that it?" Grace nodded her head slowly. "Oh but there is just one thing my dear, those two weren't really your friends."

"Huh, what do you mean?" Grace was stunned to hear this. Her chain rattled from almost jumping out of her seat. Was this witch even telling the truth?

"I'm afraid it is true, I used a spell to bring only you into this world while you were witnessed having a few dreadful nightmares from those tales of me doing grievous deeds, while your other friends slept peacefully believing in nothing; and that proper cow did say they were nothing but rubbish. Foolish mortals these days hardly believe in superstition anymore, such a pity. You know mothers will say anything to get younglings to go right to sleep."

"But why…" Grace still wanted to know about Callie choosing this form.

"DO NOT speak unless you're asked a question!" Callie hollered in order to finish her discussion. "In my lair, there is a black cauldron which enables me to see what goes on in other realms; just as I have seen you traveling all this way to get here. Why I've chosen this form, well let me just say that it's always the one you least expect. Besides I've grown rather fond of this one."

That seemed to make sense a little. She might have taken on the form of Maggie, Pearl, even Grace herself possibly instead of choosing Slim or Rico. But here she was in the form of a sinister looking Mrs. Calloway.

"Those friends of yours…" Callie still had more to say. "…were only illusions dear; in other words, just plain ordinary rotting pumpkins. Everything in Pumpkin Hollow is deceitful and cursed to the wandering mortal eye. Think of it as being lost in the smoldering desert of Phantom Valley; where you unaware of those drafty shape shifters being your friends."

Grace blinked back the tears not wanting the witches to see them, fearful that they would mock her for being a spoiled crybaby. Everything Callie said to her seemed true, except that it was still hard to believe every detail without being proven to. She shook, unable to contain her fury within her.

"You're lying; I don't believe you!" She exploded, rising from her chair. "I saw them there with me before, I know they're still under that sleep spell you cast upon them. All I ask is that we be RETURNED HOME SAFELY!!"

"SILENCE FOOL!!" Callie demanded, making a zipping motion with her sharp hoof. To Grace's surprise, her mouth clamped shut like a suitcase and her lips were stuck. She could only mumble unable to open her mouth as Callie still had her steely gaze on Grace. "Hmph, for a mortal, you're a loud mouth, whining little brat who can't keep her mouth shut; and this is the last time I'll ever say that I am the law here. Do I have to repeat myself…" she walked away from the table over to Grace. "…or do I have to turn you into something truly TERRIFYING like a PUMPKIN or maybe you'd prefer to be a STONED GARGOYLE!" she stared down directly into her face. Seeing the fear in her eyes, she smirked which meant Grace finally understood and would never speak again about being asked to return home. And she still couldn't talk while her mouth was sealed shut. Callie then walked over to the fancy fireplace. "If you don't believe me, then I'll show you."

She looked at the witches and motioned her head towards Grace. Immediately, three of them stood by her while the other lifted the neck chain off the table in order to force her in front of the fireplace. Callie clapped her hooves twice and the fireplace transformed into a dark passageway.


	16. No Turning Back

**Chapter16: No Turning Back**

_In a dark chamber_

Grace was forced to walk through the dark passageway with strange writings on the walls inked red. The floor was made of dried dirt. She still couldn't move her mouth due to the fact that Callie did not want to hear another word out of her about sending her back home. She sounded true to her word; at this point there would be no turning back even if she tried to make a run for it. They would still catch up to her.

"This is my cauldron," They arrived at the end of the passageway where a crooked and battered black cauldron stood in the center. Its sides were dented and scarred with flecks not rusted. A long thick handle was braced by a heavy bar. To Grace, it seemed like another one of those stone statues that came to life out in the cemetery. Only this one seemed grim and brooding with an ancient evil. Inside, there was a slimy oozing liquid swirling about like a whirlpool. The sight of it was terrifying enough to have Grace shivering pitifully while clutching her pounding heart.

"Move along!" Mildred pushed Grace further closer to the cauldron. The liquid was still swirling at a fast pace.

"This is where I am able to see all that goes on in other realms to search for my next victims. For you see my dear, in order to enhance my dark powers, I must feed on the fear found in every mortal's heart; without fear, I am powerless. And as long as fear exists out there, I am immortal!" She flapped her black cape around her shoulder, covering half her face. "And now you'll be my next victim for tonight's ceremony."

Grace mumbled in her throat when trying to ask what it is, but forgot about her zipped up mouth. She tried to take a step backward, but her legs wouldn't move since she was already scared stiff. Callie gazed at her steely and walked over to stare down at her face. Grace stared back at her with a frown of hurt and anger. But Callie didn't seem to mind, knowing how defenseless she was at the moment.

"When I unzip your mouth, you will not speak another word about home or I WILL turn you into a PUMPKIN, you hear me?" Grace could only nod slightly.

Good, now hold still my dear," she made a zipping motion with her hoof, and Grace found she could talk again, but she did not speak unless she was spoken to as commanded. She still felt that this witch was much too powerful to negotiate with. The shackle around her neck had also vanished.

Callie spoke in a different kind of tongue twist which Grace did not understand as she watched the Mistress wave her left hoof over the boiling cauldron. In it, Grace could see two rotting pumpkins sitting beside her as she shivered in the wooden shed and found herself wandering around the pumpkin patch confronting the demonic pumpkins; sending them away with her singing. During this part, Callie had explained to her how she had been casting a spell of deep slumber over the place with her dark singing. Grace did not say anything about that, knowing what might happen if she said that it didn't compare to her singing. Next she saw herself entering the old farmhouse and soon running out of it. The images continued to show her traveling through the midst of Deadwood Forest, Misty Mine, the spider caves, Dead Man's Swamp, Phantom Valley, the Indian Burial Ground, the catacombs in Shadow Cemetery, and her trip from the stagecoach to Ghost Town. So this was how Callie knew she was coming, but what did she mean by the word _ceremony_? The images suddenly faded away, leaving only the boiling green ooze to be seen.

"That's right my dear, I'm afraid you went through all those perils for two simple pumpkins; in other words, all for _NOTHING_!!" she burst into fits of evil laughter echoing all the way from the stone passageway. Grace just stood there completely distraught. Didn't Minerva the fortune teller warn her about something like this? Then again, what if she knew about those two pumpkins from the beginning and didn't even tell her about it at first? Unless she was somehow…wait a minute that was it!

"But that fortune teller out in the woods told me everything about you; but then why send me here if she might have known what was happening all along?" Just then, a gypsy woman dressed in coloring clothes appeared in a puff of smoke next to Callie. Her hands were placed firmly on her hips whilst smiling wickedly.

"So you've finally figure it out young one…" she clutched her shawl with her left hand and flung it over herself to reveal an ugly warty old hag in black robes, a crooked pointed hat, black shoes, green aging skin, and long fingernails. "…or should I say, my pretty." She clapped her bony hands together.

"Minerva?" Grace had gasped at her transformation. She felt as if vines had ensnared her legs, unable to move a muscle. She watched as the transformed witch moved closer to her.

"There is no Minerva, it was all a lie, and my real name is Millicent!" She grinned, showing her crooked teeth. "When I saw you out in the pumpkin patch without falling under the spell, you were shaking like a leaf out in the cold. So I decided to test your knowledge of survival to see how well you would handle with being trapped in the land of the dead. I was never helping you or anyone else; I only lure victims here to my Mistress, just like I lured you. Most mortals have died before reaching this domain." Grace continued to listen as Millicent went on boasting about how stupid and weak mortals are to ever trust fortune tellers out in the woods and how Grace should have just accepted her fate in whatever peril she got herself into, instead of being trapped in the situation she was in now.

"You horrid deceiving TOAD!" Grace stepped back slowly.

"Watch that hostile smart mouth, fool! We're witches; and we can get away with anything! So why don't you be a good girl and join the ceremony." Callie began to stalk toward Grace unaware of her about ready to kick a pile of dirt straight in her face.

"Never!" Grace threw the dirt in Callie's eyes causing her to scream. Next she started kicking more dirt in each of the witches' faces and creating a thick dust cloud. The witches coughed and hacked uncontrollably. This was now a chance for Grace to get away and hide. She darted for the opening in the fireplace and out of the mansion door. It was stuck! She was still trapped inside the place. Even the windows were sealed. She couldn't risk cutting herself from glass pieces; but maybe that was better than becoming a victim of a dark ceremony.

"AFTER HER!" Callie's voice could be heard in the dark chamber, meaning Grace had to think fast.

**

* * *

**

_Outside the mansion_

She made a quick jump and broke through the window onto the ground outside. Luckily she didn't have a single scratch on her. Grace almost felt a rush of happiness when she made it and sat up to run for the hill, but skidded to a halt when she barely missed the edge. She had almost forgotten that Callie's mansion was sitting atop a steep hilltop. It was high and dark at the bottom as it was misty. She couldn't escape through here; too risky and too high for her to jump off.

"I have to get out of here!" she cried in a panic whilst pacing left and right. Turning to same trail leading up to the mansion, she started to run down it doing her best to avoid certain death at the misty pit below the hilltop. Ahead of her, she saw the gate covered in vines and started to pound on them. But the gate only creaked while still shut tight.

"Let me out, let me out!" she begged, hoping the gates would obey her. As she continued pounding, she saw the vines move slowly like snakes. But instead of opening the gate, they hissed and lashed out at her. The vines turned out to be enormous Venus fly traps with razor sharp fangs drooling with an intense appetite for meat like her possibly. Grace stepped back in astonishment to avoid their bites and snaps. It was no use; there was no way out of this world or to escape Callie's wrath.

"Meow, meow!" Grace whirled around and found five mysterious black cats with glowing yellow eyes standing in a straight line with their tales wagging. What were they doing here? She looked back to see that the fly traps were still waiting for her to get closer to them.

"Going somewhere my pretty?" A cackle voice caused Grace to shriek when the five black cats transformed into the same witches blocking her path. It was Millicent who spoke and moved closer to her. "No one ever escapes this domain alive!" Her bony hands reached out to grab her. Grace tried to barge past them, but instead froze in midair when some powerful force struck her in the forehead.

"Insolent fool!" Grace watched as Callie stepped out from behind the witches. Her face was now covered in dirt, but she shook it off in an instant. "Do you really think you can get away from me that easy? What comes in here, never goes out!" She made a drop down motion with her right hoof. In a moment, Grace fell to the ground in a drop that caused an intense pain in her body. While cringing on the ground with her eyes shut tight, she could hear Callie command her minions. "Bind her, while I prepare for the ritual!" She flapped her black cape around her, disappearing in a puff of smoke.

The five hags made a dart at her and shrieked with triumph when she was in no condition to resist or fight back at all. Her whole strength and spirit was devoured by fear. They rolled the dairy cow over on her back and tied all her four legs together whilst still shrieking with victory. Still she made no attempt to scream or resist, even when the hags tied the ropes so tight that she felt them cut into her flesh.

And they surged around Grace jeering and taunting her, saying things like "Weakling! Pathetic little bovine! Can't even protect her own hide! Don't forget about her mouth!" She could feel one of the witches work about her face wrapping her snout in more ropes to create a tight muzzle. Still, she did not move even as the hags continued jeering and spitting, dragging the bound bovine back to the mansion.

**

* * *

**

_Back inside the chamber_

"Bring her to me!" Callie commanded, standing beside a hard, massive concrete solid table with a huge star symbol written in red on the top. Four other pillars with the same markings on them surrounded the concrete. There were eight torches hung on the stone walls and a small opening barred crevice above. On the walls lined skeletal remains of possibly past victims in other dark ceremonies which Grace would soon be added to.

Grace did not start resisting again until she saw where the hags were dragging her over to. It was still no use struggling in her bonds, even when all five of them hoisted her on top of the concrete with the marking symbol. They had to tie her down with another rope around her neck, over the stomach, and her back legs to prevent her from falling. After she was finished with being restrained and secured, Callie moved closer to Grace and clapped her pointed hooves together, smiling cruelly. She stood by her head and said in a quivering dark tone.

"The prisoner here has been found guilty of heroism, meddling, causing a ruckus in Ghost Town, and speaking words of dishonor to the Mistress in an ill-mannered tone. The sentence; _death_ by ritual!" She moved to the center of the table adjusting her hooves as the witches gathered around the table. To Grace, it almost seemed as if Callie was sharpening a butcher knife of some sorts. Then her face twitched with a wicked desire. Instantly, the Mistress had cut off the victim's bell around her neck and handed it to the fourth witch, Gilda to hang it on the wall next to the skeletal remains. Grace figured that would be her deathbed at any minute now. "Then when you die, your soul will be transferred inside of me, making me more powerful than you can ever imagine. And after that, you will be skinned and cooked for all of us; we'll even leave your skeletal body hanging on the wall in honor of this ceremony. So what more can you do about it?"

Callie turned away from her to gaze up at the crevice. She bared her arms and spoke in another one of those incantations in a different language. Bolts of lightening thundered down on the four pillars making the carved symbols glow bright. She turned to walk back to Grace in the center of the table and placed her right hoof on her stomach.

Next thing that happened was extreme pain. Grace whimpered, shook, and winced when she felt something sharp and oozy trickling down her stomach. She could hear the drip of something echoing in the dark chamber. But because her neck was tied down, she was unable to see her own blood trickle slowly from her cut and drop repeatedly on the star symbol she laid upon where it began to glow. There was no hope and no escape; nothing more she could do but to accept her horrible fate at the hands of these wicked witches and the evil imposter standing before her. At this rate, her heart began pounding madly as if it were crying out to escape. Sweat ran down her face and tears of fear and hopelessness slid from her eyes. She looked up at the barred crevice with a frightened expression and even deeper feelings of terror. Her soul would never be at peace, ever. If only she had never listened to Lucky Jack's campfire tales in the first place. Then she wouldn't have been fearful enough to be here now, as a sacrifice to a dark ritual.

"Raise your hands!" she heard Callie commanded. Soon all the witches raised their hands in midair speaking in an incantation of a different language. As they did so, Grace watched as bolts of electricity surged in their palms like thunder in the sky. The carved symbols on the four pillars glowed even brighter as more lightening cracked through the crevice raining down on them. Callie gazed down on her with a wicked smirk across her lips and walked slowly around the concrete. "Poor pitiful creature, did you honestly believe that you could resist overcoming my dark powers to save your fake friends and make a fool out of me?" she chuckled drawing her hoof under the victim's blond hair to lift it lightly. "Well you were wrong. You should have listened when someone told you to stay away. Now it's too late. And soon, your soul will mine, FOREVER!" She turned away and walked back to join the circle.

Grace still laid there breathing heavily in pain from the deep scratch over her stomach. This was it, she was done for.

"Prepare for the unexpected!" Callie hollered, as her eyes flashed red while her body glimmered in a flash of red mist. The five witches still had their hands raised in midair when Callie moved closer to Grace who laid there soaked with sweat and her face tearstained. She raised her right hoof above her bound body. Soon Grace's body began to glow red all over her. She began to feel her heavy breathing and her heart rate grow softer as Callie began sucking in her life essence with her mouth.

Although her life essence was being drained, she still had enough left to see the pillars glowing more brightly and the witches gazing down at her with their hands in midair. Grace grew more and more scared knowing that her friends were not here to save her. She didn't even have them to give her words of comfort, and she was bound to a concrete table with Callie staring down at her while still sucking her life essence, with a maniacal glint in her eyes. She was now terrified of becoming a fate worse than death. Never before in her life did she have to face something like this.

"TIME TO DIE!" Cackling, Callie moved closer as did the other five witches. Grace thrashed against the concrete table as bolts of static lightening shot out of the witches fingers and into her open cut causing a searing path throughout her body. Grace was nearly sobbing when she became engulfed in electricity thrashing madly and twisting violently. She was unable to see the actual moment of Callie still sucking out her life essence. Of course, she couldn't bear to see how else she was continuing on with the ritual of sacrifice and shut her eyes tight.

Then suddenly, it all happened. Before her vision faded and her strength left, she witnessed the past events in her memories of how this journey through the land of the dead all began. She still knew that she was a true hero, even if she was facing this untimely death at the hands of witches. No matter how much Callie and her minions had power and control of this world; they were still considered "_cowards_._"_ That was when she heard other past voices in her head: "_Care for some rattlesnake stew? Come to me my little fly! Better watch yerself in these swamps. You have disturbed our sacred grounds and shall be punished by flame. Join us for some zombie juice. Don't be a hero! There is no escape from Callie's wrath!"_

"WHAT IS THIS LIGHT? AAAAWWWWWW!!"


	17. Epilogue

**Epilogue**

"Grace, Grace, Grace, wake up, wake up," Grace remembered being lost in the darkness, then hearing the sound of a voice in a British accent calling out her name. Next thing she knew, she had awoken with a start to find herself back inside the den. She was still in Patch of Heaven, safe and unharmed without knowing the real Mrs. Calloway beside her. Wasn't she supposed to be dead or was it all just a bad dream? But it almost seemed real to her. She found her body lying atop a bedding of the same fresh normal non-magical hay and three blue ribbons nailed on the walls. Morning had come at last. The sun was in its normal average golden color instead of dark orange as its rays shone through the windows. The sky was blue instead of black or red and nothing on the ground grabbed out at her. To her relief, her stomach had no open cut or enormous scar. She was home again!

However, when Mrs. Calloway moved closer to ask what was going on, Grace nearly shrieked and backed up against the walls.

"What, now what has gotten into you?" Mrs. Calloway still stood there staring with a concerned expression. Grace was still backed up, believing that this was some kind of trick. But to make sure, she asked.

"What day is it today?"

"Today is November 1st of course, what else did you think it might be?" She spoke in a soft gentle tone instead of raspy or cocky. Her hooves were not long and pointed, her back had no hunch, and the only thing she wore was the purple bonnet on her head instead of a black cape. It was the real Mrs. Calloway standing there. Grace moved away from the wall and tried to tell her about the nightmare.

"Oh Mrs. C, I was swept away to a dark world of evil pumpkins, walking zombies, hungry coyotes, giant spiders, ghostly whispers, phantom cowboys and wicked witches who wanted to kill me with a dark spell, and their leader looked just like you. I mean you were the witch." Mrs. Calloway was taken aback by that statement.

"I beg you your pardon, but what did you call me?" That was Mrs. Calloway speaking all right. Grace could only smile; glad to discover that she was no imposter or anything wicked.

"Um, it's nothing serious really. I'm just glad that I'm here and you're here. But I still can't believe that it was all just a silly nightmare."

"Well then see what happens when you listen to too many of those silly campfire tales? I'm going to have a small talk with Jack about going easy on them next time. But for now, come on out, everyone is waiting for you."

"The whole family is outside?" Grace felt another rush of happiness.

"Of course, they just woke up a while ago." Mrs. Calloway showed Grace to the doors. To her surprise, everyone was out there enjoying themselves. It turned out to be another beautiful sunny day. How it was still this way didn't matter to her anymore, as long as she was home with her real friends and family. She went to join Maggie and Mrs. Calloway happily in the morning sun to talk about her adventures, even though she was quite sure that they would never believe what she told them.

_**The End**_

_Disclaimer: All characters of HOTR are the property of the Walt Disney Company. Other characters not mentioned in the film are created by me. Even though it is no longer October, I hope the readers who read this story enjoyed it, and I would like to say:_ **_HAPPY HALLOWEEN!_**


End file.
